#the talking fishbone takes after his father after all

[toothful]

I like to think he takes after Stoick, on this one.

Hiccup either has a sneeze that is so unproportionately large compared to his tiny self that he almost knocks himself over OR the most adorable kitten sneeze you’ve ever seen. The question is. WHICH ONE?????

[k-she-rambles]

ok but what if blue sword/temeraire fusion?

Some timeline squishing might be involved, because blue sword is set 20 years after temeraire

plot bunnies, not all connected:

-> the gang has to travel through Damar to reach Istanbul during BPW. This is an Issue because Damarians have a bad history with a large black dragon trying to conquer the country. Temeraire is treated in Damar like Lien is in China. They are helped by a mysterious red-haired stranger

-> Tharkay has a little of the Damarian Gift and every time he has to deal with something emotionally fraught his eyes turn gold. Things tend to break when he is angry, and he has a noticeable habit of keeping his hands to himself when upset. Laurence keeps noticing the light in Tharkay's eyes the same way the British characters notice Harry's kelar.

During the fountain scene Tharkay's eyes are burning gold and Laurence either stuns Tharkay by taking the full force of them and/or Tharkay confuses Laurence by preempively apologizing for the migraine Laurence is going to have in the morning

-> or LAURENCE is Damarian and he is maternal cousins with the Crewes. His "stiff with honor" attitude is him unconsciously keeping himself from setting things on fire. Accidents can be deadly on a ship!

• Every time someone runs interference for Laurence about to say or something he regrets out of temper, it's really his friends and allies noticing his kelar acting up (whether they know about it or not) and stepping in before he accidentally makes an admiral choke on a fishbone.

(If he learns about the kelar during the series it's kind of traumatic for his identity as an Englishman. Bonus points for everyone expecting him to do a kelar assisted jump onto Temeraire's back during the amnesia arc and then not doing that.

He heals Tharkay instinctively when Tharkay is found but modern kelar is meant for war, not healing. It's the only time Laurence ever heals and it's very painful for both Laurence and Tharkay

• (Tharkay's hands are fine but he has a huge burn scar on his right forearm in the shape of Laurence's hand for the rest of his life)

• Laurence's memories are back but he feels like he's been concussed all over again

• Bonus points for the encounter with the king's madness (George's) poetically paired with the king's madness (kelar).)

• Laurence is blindsided after the war to find out that the maternal great aunt his father was kind of weird about was very important and bby cousin Angharad dropped a mountain on an army is now queen of a foreign country. He won't admit it but he's briefly very annoyed that Richard abandoned his post.

Laurence is running hot during the dinner party in Black Power War, and people can't look him in the eye. Tharkay’s first impression of this British aviator having dinner with these holier-than-thou East India Company peacocks isn’t just the Chinese coat and impeccable manners even when drunk and pissed off (doesn't someone with the Damarian Gift know not to get drunk? Is he a fool or an idiot?) —it’s the blue eyes flashing gold to almost literally pin Tharkay in place.

‐> no timeline squishing at all and we substitute Damarian dragons for the Damarian horses. Imagine if Tsornin and Isfahel could talk! Red Wind is Harry's first mentor.

• The legends of Aerin fire-hair are of Aerin and the elderly dragon Talat defeating the tyrant dragon Maur.

• The laprun trials are held in the air, and are almost more about the dragon's right to bear arms than the rider. Dragons ALSO wear sashes, and it's considered bad form in the trials to damage the other dragon's rider or the rider's harness --the trials are a test of skill and self control.

Tsornin is ALSO jealous of Narknon and keeps threatening to eat her. Narknon does not care at all.

[kinghijinx22]

The Skullgirls comic returns with some good Filia backstory and the Egrets teaming up with Lab 8 in episodes 17 and 18

So the Skullgirls comic came back a couple weeks ago and I check out the episodes. I feel like they maybe got a new artist again? Or at least changed their style which was especially noticable in episode 18. Unless it's just my imagination, but either way it still looks good.

Episode 17 was especially great with the introduction of Filia into the story. Was really interesting getting more on her backstory before she lost her memories and Samson jumped on her head. She seems like she was always a sweet and caring person and it was nice to get a mention of Carol. It's always been clear that they were close in the past, either as friends or maybe even romantically and it's tragic knowing what Filia is talking about. Carol has already been taken by Lab 0 by this point and is being turned into Painwheel by Valentine. This episode tells us a lot about Filia and her backstory and answers a lot of questions regarding her relationship with the the rest of the Medici's. In the game I remember it being an interesting twist that she was related to them, and it was made unclear just how much she knew about evil stuff they get up to and how her own parents might be involved. As it turns out she does seem to know that they get up to shady stuff but isn't aware of the details and her dad didn't want to involve himself in that stuff and eventually cut ties to protect his family. Which doesn't really say much about his morals but he at least doesn't seem as bad as the rest of their family.

So we finally got some answers regarding Filia's backstory so that was cool. Then the Skullgirl Marie attacks Maplecrest because she's hunting down all the Medici's in her quest for revenge no matter who they are while creating an army of the undead along the way. Filia and her family try to escape but are cornered by Marie in the park but are saved by Filia's dog getting involed. Filia's dog and apparently Samson who is attached to Filia's dog? Or is there no dog and it's all Samson which is kind of what it looks like to me. Either way this was a pretty interesting twist and although I wonder when Samson is going to jump from the dog to Filia. We also get a really cool moment after Marie recognises Samson's voice, which I imagine is actually the Skull Hearts memories from when they had fought in the past. Filia rushed by Samon's side, seemingly still beleiving that it's just her dog and Marie not only has memories of Samson but also sees his previous partner the legendary Delilah when she looks at Filia. Delilah always seemed like a really cool character and is talked up as being one of the stronger characters in the lore so it was cool to kind of see her here.

Marie is shocked from this encounter with Samson and the dead ringer of Delilah and so she decides to let them go. Episode 17 was honestly one of my favourites so far, and from there we move on to episode 18. I feel like not a lot happens in the episode when it comes to big events but we get some really good set up and character interactions. Eliza and Cerebella continue their search for Nadia and the Fishbone gang and we get the usual friction between them. Meanwhile Lorenzo sends Black Dahlia to get the job done, kind of undermining Vitale's methods. I've been sensing some animosity between father and son here. With Vitale wanting to take over the Mafia and Lorenzo not taking his son seriously I'm kind of guessing that Vitale has no intention of returning the life gem so Lorenzo can die of old age. Now that I think about that could be the real reason Lorezno send Black Dahlia, because he can sense his sons betrayal.

Parasoul, the Black Egrets and Big Band head out to find the Skullgirl with Molly at the wheel and end up running into Peacock along the way who joins them. Parasoul does a great job at keeping everybody on the same page, and Molly is an endearing character that's always nice to see. We get some fun interactions between all these characters and when they arrive on the scene to stop Marie we get one of the coolest shots of everybody together. Also a nice Peacock fourth wall break that's fitting of her. And speaking of Peacock, it looks like we are finally going to get an interaction between her and Marie which is going to be potentially heart retching. This was a good couple of episodes and I'm excited for the next.

[msfbgraves]

Knights and Pawns: nights to remember

Of course Terry had not stayed for dinner.

Every move the Don made was a mind game. Terry then, could as little accept (might as well ask to be poisoned right there) as bluntly refuse, because where there would have been little risk in offending him before, now... The Don had got him to feel that Terry owed him something, just through the glimpse of those soulful brown eyes, the pretty mouth, the sweetness mixed with fire. The mere possibility of that boy was a favor, and not, as all the other little kitties Terry had ever known, a plea for mercy.

Terry Silver knew no mercy.

But he always paid a debt.

God damn it.

The fact that the Don was offering him his son at all was a sign of weakness, and yet Terry felt he'd been granted something, something special, an asset, to be won, not taken, possibly to be denied, and how did LaRusso known that so well? Mind games were Terry's trick.

Had the Don chosen to appear weaker than he was?

No, he wasn't at full strength – Terry wasn't stupid. There had been some inter-Italian squabbles, challenges, and anyone would have to spend some time licking their wounds after putting those out. If he'd ever be ripe for the taking, it was now – and so Terry had dutifully chosen to tell him who his most likely new challenger was, ruining the element of surprise.

Well played, Twig, as Amanda used to say.

He wished he could talk to his Mandy. It should have been a joined show, the Silver Siblings – until the sweetheart presented as omega. Which had dumbfounded even the priest, and he had supposedly seen everything. But of course it had fallen to Terry to make her a match, and Amanda Silver, formerly of the McCains of Cork (his grandfather had long shed that name, but people had long memories in the old country) was married in a Duchesses coronet. (Nobody hates the English enough to refuse that title.)

So yes, he could say he was well-connected, even if it was on the shadow side of life, and Amanda could no longer associate with him openly. The price of the steep rise, and a rise LaRusso seemed willing to forego for his own trump card. He did not value Terry lightly, then; he was certainly enough of a threat not to attack openly.

Good.

Still, dinner...

It was a cursed hassle, so it was, as his Mammy used to say. He needed to put insurance in place lest he happened to choke on a fishbone, which meant that the hitmen he'd engaged knew something was up, which meant he had to be ready to move against LaRusso instantly. Which was fine, alright, but significantly harder if he also had to think of ways to impress a potential father-in-law.

His own entourage was merely symbolic: Snake and Dennis to guard and serve, Mike Barnes to act as inside bodyguard. Of course John Kreese was in charge of his actual protection.

It would have been a good idea to partner with LaRusso even without a little kitty in the game, in any case, or Terry wouldn't have bothered with all this nonsense. There simply wasn't much of an opening before. Terry's people had built their turf on a propensity for violence. Open, fist to fist warfare. Something Terry reveled in even without money involved. It wasn't the Italian way of operating, not anymore; they had a far longer history and bigger networks. Still, a sizable income stream even now rested on protection money, and street by street, Terry had moved into their territory, taking out Italian Alphas and collecting the shopkeepers' tributes instead. He respected how Don LaRusso had taken the sting out of that by essentially building an insurance fund with the income, even if most of it was still spent on building the LaRussos' wealth and other business ventures. Hell, even Terry was sorry for bleeding out the Italian shopkeepers, but he had to start somewhere. He had not been in business long enough to establish an equal partnership with another family, Italian at that. Had Mandy still been at his side, things may have been different, but now, she needed all her time to establish herself in the Duchy. She was trying to get her Alpha to relocate to Scotland more permanently, or so she wrote, but again – those things took patience. In the short run, brute violence was simply Terry's most viable – and fun – course of action.

Until the little fawn, that was.

He wasn't sure he was going to go for it, even so. It put him in a dependent position. He'd have to devote some time to setting up a household, time he couldn't spend drinking, fighting or doing business, and he'd need to accept some LaRusso funds. Were this merely about getting his knot stuck, that would have been a stupid course of action. There were more than a few hopefuls who'd give him the family omega to get a leg up in his own organisation. He'd taken a few heats these past weeks, in fact. Even an Italian kitty, fresh off the boat,with brown eyes and plump lips.

(He'd felt slightly underwhelmed, but had sent her off with a cuddle and a fifty all the same.)

Still, any delay in action would give the Don a chance to move in on him, so he's decided that he's off to have some pasta.

When the night finally comes, he's expected the opulent house, the extended family; he's even prepared for half of Sicily to be there, ready and willing to fillet him for the occassion.

What he hasn't counted on is Barnes going wide-eyed and half-feral the second they set foot inside the house.

...Heat.

Unmistakeable. Fresh, alluring, potent, Christ almightly. Two floors up, at the very most. Terry feels as confused as that first time with Mandy, feels that same willingness to protect – not fuck, Jaysis, it was his sister then, and now... he's had a heat not three days prior, and maybe that keeps him in check, but Barnes is a young fella, hardly been around omegas in his life.

Even some of the extended family's uncomfortable, Terry notices with the small part of his brain that's not focused on the Alpha boy going into a rut before his very eyes. He grabs him by the scruff of his neck and pulls him into the hallway, held down bodily against the wall.

“Thinking of giving that young'un a ride, are you, Mickey boy? Best ride he's ever had, huh? Are ye?”

“Feck off,” Mike says, slipping into the thicker brogue he's worked so hard to get rid off.

“Now, I don't blame ye for bein' an eejit, Mickey Barnes,” Terry coos. “Never had a kitty yet, of course. But if you try anything, you never will, mind. Because I'll shoot you in the back of your wankered head myself, so I will.” He feels like a leprechaun, talking like this, but he needs to engage the boy's brainstem.

He's actually growling. “I need – ”

“You need feck all is what,” Terry growls back. “Now, if you're a good boy and get your wits out of the jacks, you may be able to last long enough to ride a kitty to heaven and back one day, but tonight is not that night, love. Understood?”

“Yeah – ”

“Say, 'Yes, Mr. Silver.' Breathe in now. Come on.”

“Aye...!”

He pushes him back further, twists his arm. “Not good enough.”

A labored breath. “Yes, Mr. Silver.”

“Sure now?” He shakes him. “Because I don't want to pay for your wake, Mickey Barnes.”

He calms. “Yes, Mr. Silver.”

“Good lad.” He lets him go. “I'll buy you a pint tonight, sweetheart.”

They stand there a few breaths until Barnes' pupils get somewhat closer to normal.

Still, he's shaking. “Fuck, that hurts.”

Terry shrugs. “Sure it does.”

He looks back. “How d'you do it?”

Terry sniffs. “Simple. Thinking with your dick will get you killed.” He slaps his back. “You'll get used to it, Mickey boy.”

Except, Terry thinks, pushing down the siren's call of that sweet, forbidden fruit, this time he's not sure he will.

[independentzaun]

Okay okay now, darker -- what if JINX kept Silco's body after Act 3, to try and bring him back to life, but to no avail, just sitting around a house with her dolls and her dead rotting father, talking to him and treating him as if he were still alive?

(Alright I’m putting this entire thing under a read more. Content warnings? Jinx being obsessive with the dead rotting body of her father, maggots. Death. Bones. A body falling apart. Angst, sadness, and squishy dead bits lay ahead.)

It wasn’t until she’d gone back to check on Silco’s body after launching a rocket at the Council Chambers of Piltover that things had started to go a bit odd. Fishbones over one shoulder Jinx walked back into the building in which everything had gone wrong with tears still on her face only to hear his voice as her eyes found their way to his dead body. Magenta eyes had gone wide and she’d actually dropped the rocket launcher to the ground as she whispered. “S, Silco? Dad?”

I’m so proud of you. You’re perfect. It was a magnificent strike against Piltover, but I’m getting cold and seem to be having issues walking. No, no shhhh it’s okay my sweet lil wild dog. Could you take me home though?

A sob came from Jinx as a long gasping breath had gotten dragged into her lungs. Her dead father was still alive. He had to be! He was talking to her. It wasn’t like it could be just another voice. That’d be silly. She already had too many. A soft little laugh came from her as she took a few steps forward some part of her mind trying desperately to pull itself up from the depths of grief that had drowned it to scream that this wasn’t right even for her. That he was dead and would never rise again and there was nothing to be done about that. Head tilting a bit Jinx swallowed and shook her head as her hands came up to grip at her head before she leaned over and screamed as that cruel and mean thought just wouldn’t leave. That he was dead, dead, dead, dead, dead! Because of her! Because she was a Jinx! Fingers scraping down her cheeks she shook going down to her knees as a harsh sob came from her before a thought came to her. What if he didn’t have to be? What if he wasn’t completely dead, but only… mostly...dead?

Standing she grabbed Fishbones slinging it over her back before moving forward, and grabbing Silco’s coat Jinx wrapped it around him. “I’ll help you stay warm, it’s okay. I’ll take care of everything.” He couldn’t just be gone. Not Silco. Now surprisingly strong with the “treatments” Singed had given her Jinx picked him up, and took him home. Not to the Last Drop, or to his house however. Instead she took him to her workshop. She could keep him safe there, and no one would find them giving her plenty of time to fix her murder her mistake. Settling him down into a chair she tucked his coat in around him before kissing his cheek. “I’ll be right back. You just stay comfy.” There was a whisper in the back of her head that Jinx could swear sounded like his voice agreeing to stay there, but she’d turned and headed out already.

It took a few hours for her to return, but when she did it was with a number of things. A large comfortable reclining chair, a couple of blankets, a nice pillow, his injector, and quite a bit of shimmer. By now Silco was starting to noticeably cool, and his body stiffen with rigor mortis however Jinx just kind of ignored that. Putting him into his new chair with a pillow behind his head and the blankets over his lap she took his coat and draped it over her shoulders before staring at him for a few long moments. “You need to wake up. I don’t want to be all alone. I hate…” Pulling her pistol she fired it at something only she could see. “Shut up he’s not one of you! He’s not dead! And you don’t count anyways. You’re just a stupid, dead, thing.”

For a moment looking back to Silco she almost thought maybe he really was dead. Truly, completely dead and that idea made her start to tremble and her chest tighten before she shook her head. That couldn’t be. He wouldn’t allow himself to die and leave her all alone. They were family. They were all they each had, and family didn’t leave family. Grabbing some shimmer, and Silco’s injector Jinx casually sat on his lap pushing his head back a bit albeit with some difficulty and as she’d done a hundred times before and more that injector came down against his eye and with the flicker of a needle and a sudden purple tear drop she gave him his shimmer. Sliding off of his lap quickly in case he convulsed a bit as he normally did Jinx crouched down staring at him for a moment before sighing and sitting on the floor with her cheek against his leg.

He must need more shimmer. Maybe she should get Singed? No, not that mad twisted doctor. She’d help Silco herself. The next few weeks proceeded similarly. She’d talk to Silco, and sometimes she’d hear him actually respond but always he fell back asleep. Always he was cold no matter what blankets she put on him, and despite the slow burning fire she set up close by him in a contained barrel to ensure nothing else would get set on fire. The injections of shimmer she gave him went once every couple of days, to every day, and than they went from his regular small doses to larger and larger. None of it worked. After a month or so she’d fallen asleep sobbing on his lap and when woke up Jinx had frowned seeing maggots starting to emerge from his mouth. Pulling the blankets off, and than undoing his shirt she’d blinked seeing more moving around his chest. “Well that wont do… You don’t like that do you?...Alright, I’ll take care of it. No don’t worry I’d do anything for you.”

Turning on some music Jinx started to hum and pulled Silco over to her tub. Dumping him into it her eyes had gone a bit distant as though she wasn’t quite seeing what was really there, and crouching down she undressed him. Using her fingers Jinx simply started to pull the maggots off of him and toss them over the side of her workshop letting each fall down who knows how far to splatter. Again, and again, and again. Maggot, after maggot, after maggot was pulled off of him and than out of him each getting tossed away as though nothing more than dirt or grime to be discarded. When she finished she grabbed water, and bathed him singing along to the music she was listening to the entire time. Ensuring his entire body was clean Jinx stared at him for a moment, and the holes in his chest and his unseeing eyes and for a moment her mind screamed the truth at her.

Silco wasn’t moving. He was dead, and gone, and in her mind and that was it. Collapsing to her knees with her hands at her head Jinx let out an anguished scream shaking her head as the memories of The Table returned and she relieved that one fateful moment. Her minigun rattling, her finger squeezing out of reflex, bullets flying out and the look on Silco’s face as his life faded. It wasn’t something she could forget, or ignore. She had shot her dad, her father, her everything her home and life and universe. Why had she allowed herself to get mixed up and confused? It was all her fault. Everything. She should have done better and now she’d never have another chance! As she crouched shaking, and whining and sobbing a voice slid through her mind. Silco’s voice.

Don’t cry. You’re perfect. I still love you, and I always will. You’re a genius, and deserve the world. Take it. Take what you want most. It’s yours.

She could take what she wanted most? She could have what she wanted most. She wanted Silco. She needed Silco back. She needed… she had him? Didn’t she? He was right there and he’d just spoken to her. Slowly sitting up to look at his body Jinx slowly crawled into the tub with his clean body and letting out a long soft breath nuzzled into his stone cold unfeeling cheek. “I knew you’d never leave me.” It was okay. He was still here. She just had to do a better job helping him.

A few weeks, or months even passed and things continued much the same. From time to time she bathed him, slept on or with him, had little break downs and then came back up. Without really knowing why Jinx started working on a couple of projects that started off modeled off of Sevika’s arm however, and roaming around Zaun stole a few examples of prosthetics and implants from the engineers before experimenting with them herself. Something within her was unconsciously giving her the solution to the problem that was about to become clear before long. The problem was that Silco would only stay intact for so long.

At this point Jinx had fallen so far into a desperate belief that Silco was still there and could still be fixed that it didn’t phase her when skin started to separate, and his lower leg started to come apart at the knee. That just meant she had more options to get him up and going again. A lower leg was pulled off, cleaned, sterilized, and slowly she built a casing around it. The same happened with his other leg, and an arm and then eventually Jinx simply found herself left with a collection of bones after one too many baths… and a head. Because she’d never been able to scrub at it the same way as everything else, and because despite his blood not flowing the Shimmer injections she’d never stopped putting into his eye had managed to preserve the skin and that one eye of his head enough for it to stay recognizable.

That head was all she really needed of course. His eye, and lips, and smile and voice praising her for never giving up. It took months. His body collapsing. Cleaning it. Putting together a new body. Figuring out how to connect everything together and to ensure his bones formed the frame of his. That head that was quite obviously a dead thing to everyone except for her on the top of it, and a way to make it’s lips open as a croaking sound came from it. She promised to give him a better voice of course, but that wasn’t as important as making sure the thing she’d created could hug her which… it could. Cold metallic limbs with shining bone engraved and stained with shimmer and bolted into metal sliding around her and holding her close as for the first time in over a year Jinx finally slept peacefully. She’d done it. She’d saved her father and brought him back.

Of course he needed to be able to defend himself so she gave him talons like Sevika had, and a small version of her minigun on the other arm powered by a hextech crystal that shot splinters of stone. In his mouth she pulled out his teeth and replaced them with a sharks maw before finally clothing him so he wasn’t naked and cold. With Silco finally up and walking of course they had to go out into Zaun, and of course they had to go to Silco’s favorite coffee place.

One person had screamed seeing the construct which she’d incidentally given another foot and a half of height to making him seven and a half foot tall, and after asking why they were screaming only to have Silco insulted Jinx shot them. “Don’t be rude to Silco.” After that no one found it worth while to complain, and simply let the loose canon and her strange companion go about their business. Eventually Jinx got Silco his coffee, and opening a dead mouth the construct poured it down it’s throat only for the coffee to trickle downwards and into it’s boots giving it a faint squish sound as it walked. She didn’t care.

Silco was with her again.

He was alive.

And she was perfect. He’d said so.

[teamfreewill56-blog]

Stoic is Positive Masculinity

How to Train Your Dragon is such an exceptionally family-centered movie. I can easily go into several characters but for this I want to focus particularly on Stoic the Vast. Stoic is a pure embodiment of positive masculinity and what men, what fathers should want to be. Stoic is this huge, gruff, no-nonsense leader but he is also emotional and compassionate and sensitive and these are core parts of his personality. People still treat these like negative traits in men but How to Train Your Dragon does not. Stoic loves Hiccup, he’s his son and he is protective of him, he doesn’t want to lose him (he already lost Valka). He’s hard on Hiccup in the first movie because he KNOWS Hiccup is like Valka and that scares him, Valka got taken by a dragon and was openly opposed to violence against dragons---so when he finds out that Hiccup is friends with a dragon he’s having to deal with the feelings of losing Valka again and being scared out of his mind that he’s going to lose Hiccup too. In anger he tells Hiccup that he’s not his son but as he walks out and we see his face he has tears in his eyes. And I don’t mean the little misty-eye tears. His eyes are full on wet and he is doing all he can to force them back. He probably went to face the dragon nest thinking Hiccup was going to run off and he would never see him again. Gobber says that Stoic can’t stand “what inside Hiccup” but I don’t think this is true either. It’s not that Stoic “can’t stand it”. It’s that he doesn’t understand it and is scared he’s going to eventually lose Hiccup because of this difference between them. During Stoic and Gobber’s conversation it’s clear that Stoic just wants to have a connection with Hiccup but since Hiccup takes after Valka the chieftain didn’t have the slightest idea what to do. Personally I love that Gobber admits that Stoic is not bothered by Hiccup’s stature one bit, it’s meant to be humorous but its so important because Hiccup in this scene clearly felt like his father didn’t like him partly because of his stature. Stoic is tall, muscular and gruff-voiced so be default society would go: yes, of course he’s embarrassed by his “talking fishbone son”! But he doesn’t think any less of Hiccup for not having those physical traits, he never brings up Hiccup’s stature at all! In the movie’s final fight, after he saves Hiccup and Toothless, he holds Hiccup’s hand and gently tells Hiccup he doesn’t have to fight, sincerely apologizes to Hiccup for his actions and tells him he is proud of him. No yelling, ordering, begging, just gentle words. When he realizes Hiccup is alive he sincerely thanks Toothless and touches Toothless’ face (the first time ever that he touches a dragon and doesn’t hurt it) and although we laugh at it, he glares offended at Gobber when he cracks the “Well most of him” joke. Already we see him accepting Toothless and being defensive of Toothless. In the second movie when he’s reunited with Valka we see his gentleness again, he very gently touches her face and softly tells her he still thinks she’s beautiful. As much as he wants her to come back home he doesn’t immediately assume that she will and he scolds Hiccup when he assumes such. Instead of just assuming that they will immediately become husband and wife again he invites her to do their dance, something clearly emotional and special for them as a couple. It is during this dance, when Valka accepts his invitation to dance that he realizes she truly does still love him and he then asks her to come home and not just to come home, but he proposes again. When Drago is attacking he doesn’t assume command, he defers command to Valka and asks for orders. He acknowledges that his wife knows dragons and Drago better and immediately provides his support to her by asking what she wants done. In the final movie we of course see him only in flashbacks but they prove that Hiccup gets his gooey-softness from both sides of his family. Hiccup in the flashbacks of an infant never shows signs of being scared of Stoic. When he gets caught on the stairs, he looks at Stoic and says why he’s up, worried about getting in trouble, but never scared. Both instances Stoic speaks with that soft voice and he holds Hiccup very gently. When Stoic tells him to come join him at the fire Hiccup immediately runs to Stoic and his father puts him on his lap and lets him poke the fire with him, a clear indication that this is a regular thing for them. When Hiccup asks if they’re going to get another mom, Stoic hugs Hiccup close and kisses him and then tells Hiccup an important truth about love that he doesn’t fully understand until the third movie. Before the flashback ends it is just a close up of Stoic’s face and you can just see how much he loves Hiccup. I feel like these flashbacks brought so much clarity to Stoic as a character and helped me to understand that how we thought we knew Stoic in the first movie wasn’t right at all. Stoic wasn’t a tough guy who had emotional moments, he’s an emotional guy who is only tough when he needs to be.

Movie: How to Train Your Dragon; How to Train Your Dragon 2; How to Train Your Dragon The Hidden World

Director: Dean DeBlois

Characters: Gobber; Stoic; Valka; Hiccup; Toothless; Drago

[crazy4dragons]

Fifteen (Part 1)

Hiccup struggles to come up with the perfect gift for Astrid’s fifteenth birthday. Hiccup-centric for now, with a bit of subtle Hiccstrid coming in Part 2. Rating: G. Prompt sent by @drakaina-amore64 (thank you!).

Hiccup sighed as he glanced at the collection of half-finished projects around him. Astrid’s fifteenth birthday was in a week, and he still had nothing good enough to give her. Or so it seemed that he didn’t.

A Viking’s fifteenth birthday was a big deal. Fifteen was the year children were finally allowed to take the lead on patrols, participate in battle, and most importantly, learn to fight dragons. For those reasons, fifteenth birthdays weren’t just a family affair—the whole island celebrated them.

And Astrid’s fifteenth birthday was an especially big deal, at least to Hiccup. She’d been his best friend growing up. With his mother gone, he often ended up staying with either the Jorgensons or the Hoffersons when Stoick was away and Gobber was busy running the island. On the weekends Hiccup spent with the Hoffersons, he and Astrid would play all day, then innocently cuddle up together for bed to help calm her fear of the dark, and his fear that a dragon would crash through the walls and eat them both alive.

They hadn’t been close like that in years; not since Astrid started basic battle training at eight years old and slowly latched onto a new group of friends. The last time they’d hung out was at Hiccup’s tenth birthday party, and he suspected that was only because Astrid’s parents made her go, just to be polite.

Gods, he missed the days when they were friends, always laughing and making up stories about defeating dragons together. Maybe if they were still close, he wouldn’t be having such a hard time thinking of a gift for her.

“Axe? She has one already,” he mumbled. “Mace? Has it. Sword? Has that, too.” He gathered the partially-finished weapons and put them in a box.

“What are ye working on, lad?”

Hiccup turned to see Gobber entering the forge. “Oh, nothing. Just uh…brainstorming some gifts for Astrid’s birthday.”

“Oh, I see. What ideas do ye have?” Gobber hobbled over to his desk and grabbed a piece of metal.

“I thought about an axe, or a mace, or a sword, some kind of weapon,” Hiccup began. “But I can’t seem to come up with anything she doesn’t already own.”

“Ye know, Hiccup, a Viking can niver have too many weapons.”

Sighing, the boy ran his fingers through his shaggy hair. “Yeah, yeah, but I just thought I could do something different. Maybe even something special.”

“Aye, I see.” Gobber raised an eyebrow. “Ye like her.”

A light blush covered Hiccup’s cheeks. “Well, uh…I…” he stammered. He’d always liked Astrid, but now that she was slowly transforming into a fiercely beautiful young woman, he couldn’t help but like her, like her.

“Ye don’t need to hide it, lad. I ain’t gonna tell anyone, ‘cept maybe yer father,” laughed Gobber. “Ye know, in a few years, yer gonna have to start settling down, anyway. And Astrid is just the kind o’ strong lass who could give ye a nice, strong heir.”

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah, an heir,” he mumbled. He wasn’t sure he wanted to be the heir, let alone father the next one. He also wasn’t sure he could even find anyone desperate enough to birth his heir. Yes, he was the next in line for Chief, but there were other more attractive, more successful men from neighboring islands who would offer the same social status—plus the added advantage of a tribal alliance.

“It’s gotta happen someday, Hiccup,” Gobber said cheerfully. “Yer father’s not goin’ to be around forever, and—”

Before he could finish, Hiccup was gone. He needed to focus on Astrid’s gift, not becoming Chief, and if he was being quite honest, he was rather tired of everyone talking about it. And by everyone, he meant Stoick and Gobber.

As he trudged home, Hiccup made a mental list in his head of everything he thought Astrid might need, only to cross off all of it by the time he walked through the door. Not only did she already have every weapon he could imagine, she also owned more than enough armor and other battle accessories. Clothes were always practical, and he could easily sew some leggings or knit a pair of cozy socks, but giving Astrid clothing seemed a little too intimate, even if it was just leggings and socks.

Not feeling up to waiting for Stoick to arrive, Hiccup cooked and ate dinner alone, then took his evening bath and headed to his room. Finding a piece of charcoal, he grabbed his sketchbook and opened it to a blank page. He always drew before bed, but this time, he was on a mission to draw until struck by inspiration for Astrid’s gift.

He began by sketching a portrait of her, paying special attention to her big blue eyes and toned muscles. As she grew up, her eyes were gradually losing their glow from childhood, instead becoming fierce and icy. However, Hiccup still thought they were gorgeous. And her muscles he both admired and envied. Gods, she would never feel attracted to him the same way he felt attracted to her, not with his delicate body.

A talking fishbone, that’s what Stoick called him.

Sighing, he put down his charcoal and flipped through his finished drawings, hoping that ideas for his next sketch of the night would come to him.

“I’m home, son!”

Stoick’s booming voice shook Hiccup out of his thoughts. “I’m busy, Dad!” he called, turning another page of his sketchbook. It landed on an image of a Deadly Nadder, Astrid’s favorite dragon. When they were little, she’d always talked about them. She even had a plush one that she took to bed each night, thinking it would protect her from fiercer, scarier dragons, like Night Furies and Monstrous Nightmares.

It was then that it hit him. He would make Astrid her own book, filled with drawings of all the things she’d loved growing up, from the stream they used to swim in together, to the axe her parents gave her for Snoggletog a few years ago, to the little plush Nadder he was almost certain she still kept in her room.

“Are ye so busy ye can’t clean up after yerself?” Stoick bellowed from downstairs.

Hiccup groaned as he remembered that, in his preoccupation with Astrid’s gift, he’d left his dishes on the kitchen table. He knew that if he left his room, he’d end up getting caught in an unwanted conversation with his father, and that definitely wasn’t what he wanted, not with all the drawing he needed to do in order to finish his project on time.

“Hiccup? Do ye hear me?” Stoick prompted.

“Coming, Dad,” the boy said, half-mumbling.

“I don’t know why yer always hiding out in yer room,” the chief remarked as Hiccup descended the stairs. “Can’t a son spend time with his father?”

Hiccup sighed. “Well, Dad, if you must know, I’m uh…I’m working on a birthday gift for Astrid.” He blushed while saying her name.

“Trying to impress her, eh?” Stoick raised an eyebrow.

“No! Of course not. I just…we used to be friends, and I want to do something nice for her.”

“Mmm-hmm. I see how ye look at ‘er.”

Hiccup covered his face in embarrassment. “Dad!”

“Remember, Hiccup, nothing happens on this island without me hearing about it.”

“Sure,” the boy sighed, shuffling to the table and grabbing his dishes. After washing them, he quietly slipped back upstairs before Stoick, who was preoccupied with warming his dinner, noticed he was gone.

“Alright,” he said aloud to himself. “Let’s get these drawings started.”

[applejuizz]

irrational goals x and x mindless illusions

after years of relentless searching, kaito has finally managed to find ging. as the two hunters pass the evening in the mountains, ging tells a story of his past. characters: ging freecss, kaito (kite) pairing(s): ging x gon’s momma (in the past!) no warnings word count: 1.880

pretty much my headcanons on what happened to gon’s mother.

“For all those years that I’ve known you, Ging-san, and I would’ve never guessed you have a kid.” Ging’s laughter, loud and brash bounced off the cave walls and scattered along with the howling winds. “And I thought you knew better than to make assumptions,” the hunter replied wittily, his large, amber stare glinting with amusement.

Kaito huffed out a short-lived smile and took a generous bite out of his freshly-roasted fish. He chose to let the crackling fire fill the silence as he masticated, carefully pondering over his next words.

“You’ve left one hell of a legacy behind, you know. He’s got your willpower and plenty of potential.” In response, Ging grunted through a mouthful of fish. “He’s good with animals as well. He’d make an excellent hunter.”

Kaito raised his gaze slightly to catch a reaction from across the vivid flames of the campfire. Maybe it had been just a product of the lights and shadows constantly dancing on Ging’s features, but he could’ve sworn that for a brief, insignificant moment, his master’s petrified expression had twitched. Now, whether it had been the ghost of a smile or a grimace, he couldn’t tell.

“Looks like my son did quite the impression on you,” remarked Ging, swallowing the last of his bite. “He is definitely something. I’m surprised how you were never curious enough to visit. Poor boy grew up thinking his parents were dead.” “Good.”

The sheer finality in the hunter’s tone made Kaito’s head instantly shoot up to stare incredulously. “Don’t look at me like I’m crazy, Kaito,” said Ging before his disciple could conceal his surprise, “hunters are greedy people. They seek adventure, despise routine and never settle. Bringing a kid into this world is a big and dangerous deal that we couldn’t bear.”

Then why did you do it in the first place? The question was entirely plausible, yet it died on Kaito’s tongue before he could voice it. It wasn’t his place to ask. Perhaps the boy was the result of an ordinary one night stand - that was quite often the case. Besides, he couldn’t imagine Ging lingering in one place long enough to fall in love and willingly father a child. Then again, he hadn’t thought it possible for the carefree adventurer to even be a parent at all, and he’d been proven wrong. In all truth, predicting Ging Freecss’s actions was a game of chance, similar to Kaito’s Crazy Slot, and the white-haired hunter wasn’t sure he liked that resemblance.

“Was his mother a hunter as well?” As he spoke, Kaito watched Ging’s posture stiffen, his usual relaxed attitude forgone. On second thought, it might’ve been more suitable to ask about his reasoning. “Who said anything about her? What did I tell you about assumptions?!” “You said ‘we’.” “What?!” “When you talked about bringing a kid into this world, you said ‘we couldn’t bear it’.” “As in you and me and every other fucking hunter in the world. Now stop nagging me.”

From the years he’d spent as his disciple, Kaito had learnt a lot about Ging as a hunter - extremely gifted, strategic, adventurous -, as well as a person - stubborn, unpredictable, carefree and at times, awkward. However, he had rarely, if ever got the chance to see a truly flustered, caught off-guard Ging. It took a lot to surprise him. Yet it seemed that the question Kaito had deemed innocuous had managed to utterly baffle the rogue hunter. He watched in awe as Ging’s features shifted through various phases of surprise, outrage and awkwardness, his foot nervously tapping the ground and his voice cracking with indignance. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business.” The only response Ging gave was a graceful, yet expressive burp. He deliberately avoided meeting Kaito’s eyes, busying himself with wiping clean of meat every little fishbone.

By the time he spoke again, the fire had considerably dimmed. “She is a hunter. Part of the association that helped me create Greed Island.” Kaito was leaning against a smoother portion of the wall, hands behind his head, eyes closed in contemplation. When his master spoke, he immediately turned to look at him. The black-haired man was staring pointedly at the dying fire, scattering the ashes with a stick in a halfhearted attempt of keeping it aflame. “Ging-san, you don’t have to talk about this if-“ “Just shut up and listen, ‘cause I’m not telling this story twice.”

Kaito settled back against the stone wall and listened.

“As I said, she was one of the creators of Greed Island, so we were both pretty young when we met- 18, I think. She was the friend of a friend, she heard of our project and she wanted in. We were fine with it, since she was a strong Nen user and her contribution has made the game what it is today.”

The cave entrance was growing darker by the minute as nightfall crept in. They would have to get some more firewood.

“While we were busting our asses off scouting the island and thinking up cards, we got to talkin’ and you could say we grew... close. She was pretty and as charming as they come, simple-minded, and always up for an adventure. And I was a bit of an impressionable kid.”

“We wanted to travel together. She was passionate about myths and languages, I liked ruins. A match made in heaven,” Ging chuckled bitterly. “Now, don’t get me wrong, ‘twas nothing official. We couldn’t be bothered to label anything. But one thing led to another, and all of a sudden we were a couple of dumb nineteen year-olds with a baby on the way.”

So, Gon was a mistake. Kaito had figured that much.

“Obviously, we had to push back our plans - we wanted to try and explore the Dark Continent eventually - and we had no idea how we were going to raise a kid together when we didn’t even know how to define our relationship, but we never thought about giving up Gon. Not once. Soon after we finished up the game, Daina gave birth. May 5th, 1987. Five months later, I was urging her to come with me on an unofficial, undocumented expedition near lake Mosubi.”

The sheer name of that place gave Kaito the shivers as he listened attentively to the other hunter’s story.

“She didn’t really want to go. Childbirth had changed her. She began to realize the risks we’d have to take, the high stakes, the danger that was awaiting and how inexperienced we really were. But I was having none of it. I thought I was invincible, and I thought I’d always get what I wanted.” There was a pause, and Ging cleared his throat almost awkwardly.

“So, I threatened to leave by myself. Woke up that morning and started packing. She got scared, like I knew she would; there was no way to stop me, so she eventually gave in.”

“You pretty much manipulated her into following you,” Kaito concluded. Ging continued to stare into the fire for a while before answering, and his disciple was almost sure he’d managed to piss him off again.

“Yeah. I guess you could say that,” he answered calmly. “Anyway, we left the baby in-game, summoned a Panda Maid to care for him and left. Long story short, something... beyond my understanding happened on that godforsaken shore and...”

“Did Daina...?”

“No! I mean... she disappeared. I have no idea what happened to her. I couldn’t look for her. It’s a miracle I even got away.”

Kaito let out a breath he hadn’t even known he were holding.

“And before you start to think I’m some delusional dumbass, the moment I got back, I went to Greed Island and summoned Double Postcard to the Dead. I’ve been doing it annually since then. No response so far.”

Ging needn’t explain more. Kaito knew Greed Island fairly well from the time he had attempted to clear the game, and therefore he had plenty of knowledge on the card system. Double Postcard to the Dead is a card which, if summoned, allows you to send a message to a deceased person of your choosing. If the person is truly dead, you’ll get a response within the next day.

“Anyway, after all that, I’d realized a couple of things.” Ging raised his pointer in the air. “First. I was going to need at least a decade of training, experience and qualifications to even pass lake Mosubi’s shoreline, and second,” he raised another finger, “I couldn’t raise Gon on my own. It was too dangerous to pursue my goals with him around, and he would’ve been better off living a normal life.”

“So you sent him off home.”

“And lost custody in court when Mito decided to sue me. The rest is history.”

There was silence as Kaito pondered over what he’d just heard. He supposed he could understand the reasoning behind Ging’s decision to leave Gon in someone else’s care, but he could’ve at least visited. Kaito was no king of morality, yet he couldn’t have lived with himself knowing he had a kid out there that knew nothing of him.

“I’m sorry.”

Ging’s eyes switched back to Kaito. He no longer looked lost in space as he made a dismissive hand gesture, very much characteristic of him.

“Don’t be. It was for the best. I would’ve been a crappy father either way.” There was humor in his tone and the white-haired hunter laughed cordially, but he could tell his companion’s words were more than just a joke.

The more he thought about it, the more obvious it became. Ging had decided to utterly avoid his son not only for his safety, but also out of a selfish, yet understandable reason. He couldn’t have possibly bore the embarrassment of looking Gon in the eye and telling him his mother had gone missing simply because he had dragged her into his irrational goals and mindless illusions.

But you won’t be able to avoid him forever, Kaito thought to himself. If that boy is anything like you, he won’t drop dead until he finds you. I’ve seen the look in his eyes. You’re in for one hell of a ride, Ging.

“Yo.” He was awoken from his reverie by the hunter’s deep voice. “I’m gonna go get some more firewood. You coming or what?”

Kaito had barely noticed that the sky had gone completely dark and the cave was only lit by what little was left of the campfire. He could barely distinguish Ging’s features anymore as he stood at the entrance.

“Sure. I wasn’t expecting you to spend the night here though, Ging-san.”

As they walked along the abrupt forest path, wind howling at their ears, Ging scoffed. “You and your damn assumptions.” He grumbled and pointed at the sky. “No stars. Can’t you smell the thunder? It’s gonna rain tonight.” Kaito doubted a little storm would stop Ging from leaving if he really wished to do so, but he said nothing. “Oh, and drop the honorific.”

Kaito must’ve looked extremely surprised because Ging spoke again, a smirk creeping on his face.

“Don’t look at me like that. You found me, so you passed your test. We’re equals.”

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Kissing Dead Pearls (Part 10)

He could never find her, no matter how hard he tried. No one could find her and no one ever did. Not until she wanted them too.

“It’s just a dumb game Azula!” Zuko would always declared. “Who cares if you always win.” He did and she knew it. They all cared and they were all jealous.

She always had the best hiding spots and she owed it partially to her teeny build; she could scramble into places that none of her friends, save for Toph, could fit in. To some extent, she still can, but not as many as she could as a child.

That day she had tucked herself into a particularly tight wedge nestled in the cove. During their play, nothing was off limits, every crevice and orifice was fair game. Though they mostly avoided the cave in the cove because it was too dark and too wet.

Azula had always been more adventurous, more darling, and, in childhood, more reckless and less careful. She shambled up a large rock, it was slick and wet and she was almost certain that she would fall and give away her hiding spot with a large splash. Luck was on her side, she managed to cling on and reach the top. From there she climbed her way into the wedge and waited, listening to the waves lapping against the sandstone and the steady drip drop of the moisture leaking from the cave ceiling. She could feel slimy seaweed sloughing down her arm and she stuck her tongue out in disgust. But she would endure it for the sake of her victory streak.

A few minutes turn into ten and then ten into fifteen before she heard Sokka and Zuko declare they gave up. Their voices were distant. It took another five before Katara made her declaration.

Azula’s smugness turned to pure dread in an instant. It is the instant that she tried to pull herself out of the wedge. It was an all encompassing terror when she found that the hole in the wall was too small for even she afterall. She remembers how her stomach had sank. How another ten minutes went by and then another. A feeling of suffocation and helplessness as she tried fruitlessly to back out of the crevice. An effort that only became more worthless as the panic had set in more.

Soon it had been an hour and then two before it finally occurred to her that she should cry or, at least, scream. She intended to only scream once, but that had opened the floodgates to all out bawling.

That was all she had needed to do. “I found you!” Sokka declared smugly. She had never been more relieved to lose a game.

Hakoda’s voice was the next that she’d heard, a soothing and soft one instructing her to stop crying for a moment and to relax her body as much as possible and then to suck in her belly and duck her head as close to the floor as she could.

Strong hands wrapped around her ankles and pulled. She’d heard Ursa whimpering softly. She was given a few bone jerking tugs before her body had come free. Her knees were skinned and her cheeks and elbows scrapped. Ozai had passed her to Ursa who’d held her nearly as tightly as the cave had and caressed her hair.

She hadn’t gotten in trouble that night, they were too relieved for that, but she had earned a reputation for constant childhood accidents and mishaps.

.oOo.

She doesn’t want to go home, she wants to go anywhere but home. But the longer she delays, the madder he is going to get. Katara knows this. She usually doesn’t like to be touched, but this time she lets Katara rub her back while she sits with her elbows digging into her thighs and her face buried in her hands.

Hakoda is just as aware as Katara. “If you need to stay here until he sobers up, you can take Sokka’s bed. I know that he won’t mind.”

Azula nods despite her apprehension. She hasn’t been in his room since he’d disappeared. She isn’t sure that she can take it, not tonight. Not when her mental state is already in the beginning stages of immense turmoil.

“You don’t mind the sofa, do you, Zuko?” The man asks.

“Couch is fine.” She hears his reply from down the hall.

She puts her hand on the doorknob but can’t bring herself to turn it. She gives a slight jolt at the sound of footsteps. “It was hard for me at first, too.” Katara confesses. “But it isn’t so bad after that.”

Azula takes a deep breath and twists the knob. The door falls open and she is greeted by a familiar ambiance. His walls are painted deep blue, he hasn’t bothered to take down the ocean life wall stickers that he’d put up as a kid. In fact he still has a few stuffed sharks and jellyfish strewn about in the corner. But he has also acquired several surfboards to hang on the wall--strictly decorative. And from the ceiling hang a collection of shark teeth and a few fishbones.

The floor has as much clutter as she remembers; a stack of knocked over reggaeton and reggae albums lies at the foot of his bed near a collection of sport-themed DVD’s. Clothes, mostly socks and aloha shirts, are cast randomly about the floor and drape over a chair by a desk.

The desk teems with other trinkets; a few bobble heads, 3D photo crystals depicting jelly fish, some unopened snack bars, and a few poorly done drawings along with pencils among other things. She then finds the pictures. There is one of just he and Katara holding fishing poles. Next to that is one of their family at the grand opening of their food joint. And next to that… Her stomach flutters and her eyes prickle. He has his arm around her, flashing the camera a goofy grin. He wears the most ridiculous pineapple shaped sunglasses and a straw hat. She remembers him forcing her to wear an even more ridiculous clownfish hat and a cheap rainbow lei.

Her tear finally escapes when she sees the next photo. She doesn’t remember it having been taken. Which is probably because she is asleep in the photo. Asleep and clutching a stuffed stingray. The same one she’d had since she was a child and her parents took she and Zuko to the aquarium. She is certain that Zuko still has his stuffed turtle.

She wishes that Sokka were home, if only to kick his ass for sneaking that picture. “He really liked that one.” Katara nods to that picture.

“Yeah…” she trails off quietly. “I’m sure he did.”

“I’ll leave you alone?”

Azula nods.

“I’ll send Zuko to get you when dinner is ready.”

She nods once more.

She waits until Katara leaves to make her way to Sokka’s bed. Her lower lip trembles as she climbs into it and bunches herself into a ball. It smells like him. In some way, being tangled in his blankets is like being swaddled in his arms. But it lacks the warmth that he had. In the privacy of the room she cries more openly. For the loss of Sokka. For the loss of her mother. For the loss of her father as he used to be.

She cries for her failed attempt. For her inability to even search for Sokka. For the abuse she’d taken and for the abuse she was about to take as soon as she inevitably faced her father. He was going to reek of alcohol and testosterone.

Her eyes are dry again and she has managed to catch an hour or so of sleep when she hears the knock. “The food is ready. It smells wonderful too.” Zuko calls.

“You can meet me at the table, Zuzu.” Groggily, Azula pulls herself up. She runs her hands over her face. She knows that her makeup is smeared and her hair is tousled. It doesn’t really matter, she has no one to impress right now.

She makes her way to the kitchen and pulls out a chair. Kya offers her a loving smile and her belly flutters again. That smile reminds her too much of her mothers for her to not have to bite the inside of her lip to keep tears at bay. She is being much too sentimental tonight.

“I’m sorry that you’re having such a rough night, sweetheart.” Kya cups her hand over Azula’s.

She doesn’t seem to take much offense at Azula’s lack of an answer. She eats in silence, listening to the other four make mundane conversation mostly about shows and how the restaurant repairs are coming along. She picks at her food, not really tasting it at all. It isn’t that the food isn’t rich and scrumptious, more so that her taste buds have dulled and her appetite has fled to make room for a feeling of sorrow.

There comes a knock, a heavy knock. Azula’s stomach plummets and the rest of her appetite is sapped away.

“I think that it is better if you return home.” Hakoda fills the doorway.

“I need to talk to her.” Ozai insists. She listens for a slur.

“We are in the middle of dinner.”

“I can wait.” She doesn’t need to see him to know that he his crossing his arms.

“After dinner we have other plans.”

“The discussion will not be long.” She hears no slur and she isn’t sure if this is more or less worrisome.  She wonders if she should just get it over with. With a deep breath she stands.

“Azula…” Zuko starts. She pulls her wrist out of his grasp and makes her way to the door. Her eyes are dim and as impassive as she can will them to be.

Hakoda seems to go tense.

“Father.” She greets as dimly as her eyes.

The man looks her over and rubs his hand over his face again. “I didn’t come to the beach to fight with you.”

“But you still did it.” She mumbles, absently massaging her bruised wrists. His eyes follow her hand and find the purple-yellow. She thinks that he might have winced. She slips that hand into her pocket. “What do you want.”

He holds out an ice pack, “just to talk with you.”

“We can talk when you’re sober.” She replies with as much coldness as the pack he holds out. She retreats back into the house.

They are three of Sokka’s favorite romantic comedies in, and she still can’t get Ozai out of her mind. She wishes that Sokka could be there to watch the movies with them.

.oOo.

Being back in the lighthouse is dreadful. She knew that Hakoda and Kya couldn’t let them stay forever. Though they offered to take them back if Ozai laid a hand on either of them. Her father isn’t home yet, but this is much worse than him having waited by the door. The anxiety of waiting for him to finally arrive is getting to she and Zuko both.

Zuko spends the better portion of the day pacing around the lighthouse. She is more subdued, taking up the demeanor of a death row inmate, with a silent resignation of her fate.

The door falls open and Zuko jolts. Azula grips the edge of her chair as Ozai’s footfalls echo. “Both of you!” He calls. Zuko freezes where he stands, his body locks. Azula can feel her mind ebbing away. It has been a long time since her mind has gone distant and impassive, but it is her only defense. “Come down and have a seat.”

Zuko catches her hand as she numbly lets her feet take over. “Azula, don’t.” She shakes her head. “Better to get it over with.”

Zuko follows her down the spiral staircase. Ozai sits at the table, waiting. Feeling slightly wobbly, she takes her own seat. Zuko remains standing and a distance away from the table. When it comes to father, he might just be smarter than she.

Their father takes a deep breath, sets a stack of papers onto the table, and pushes them towards her. She quietly scans them over.

“What are those for?” Zuko asks.

She meets Ozai’s stare and he nods. “They’re...AA forms, Zuzu.”

“Khozen wouldn’t pour me another glass until I went.” He grumbles.

“How long have you been attending?” Zuko asks.

“Just a few days now.”

“Is that where you were on Monday?” Azula asks, suddenly feeling as though she had been the aggressor on the beach that day.

He pinches the bridge of his nose before confessing, “no, I was at the bar.”

“So much for, Khozen not pouring you another glass…” Zuko grumbles.

“I went to AA and he poured me a glass as he said he would.” Ozai shrugs.

“Have fun sharing that story at your next meeting.” Zuko crosses his arms. “Is that all you wanted?”

“Not quite.” Ozai replies. “I want you to take that boat that the two of you bough and return it…”

“I’m going to find Sokka.” Azula hisses. “I…”

“What you are going to do, Azula, is return that boat.” He pauses. “That money was your college fund, was it not?”

Azula flushes.

“And Zuko’s...and a good portion of our lighthouse fund.”

Her lower lip quivers.

“You are going to return that boat. Khozen’s will do us just fine and it will cost us much less.”

Azula looks up from the table. “Khonzen’s boat?”

“He used to be a pirate. He and I struck a deal. If I...succeed with this,” he gestures to the packets, “he will lend me the boat free of charge and we can go and search for answers together.” He pauses. “I lost your mother, I’m not about to let the two of you sail away without me. Understood.”

Tears well in her eyes again, but this time they are born of a different emotion. Hope, she realizes. She nods, “yes, father.”

“Does that sound fair to you?”

Frankly, she thinks that, for once, her father might be getting the short end of the deal. But then, getting clean isn’t such a terrible fate. “It does.”

“Does that sound fair to both of you?”

Zuko shifts his weight, never uncrossing his arms. “I guess.” Azula can’t blame him for his skepticism.

“Can you wait a little longer?” He asks. “Maybe help Katara and her family with La-bsters and have you surf tournaments with Chan? And then we can go out to sea.”

“Can I bring Katara?” Zuko asks.

“That is up to Hakoda and Kya.”

Azula doesn’t particularly want to delay, but the offer on the table shows more promise than spending her college fund and taking an impulsive, grief-driven expedition. “I can wait a little longer.”

[deliciousscaloppine]

16. A cruel king asks to marry you. Which three impossible dresses do you ask for in exchange for your hand? (Wen Chao, Wen Xu & Nie Huaisang)

Meng Yao entered the room with small coquettish steps, looking down bashfully.

“You are wanted in the main hall.” he said and shuffling all the way to the closet, he opened it wide and started throwing out in the room his finest evening wear.

“Ah! These are delicate, Meng Yao! Don't toss them like that.” Huaisang said wrestling an outfit out of his hands.

“You have to dress nice, there are two gentlemen to see you tonight.” Meng Yao effortlessly said while grabbing a comb and taking it to Huaisang's hair with all the rancor of a former street urchin who had to use twenty four different products to make his own hair less frizzy.

“Two? What do they want from me?” he said trying to get out of Meng Yao's vindictive ministrations.

“To marry you, silly. What else?”

“Does Da-ge know?”

“He is the one who sent me to fetch you. You see the two gentlemen happen to be lord Wen Ruohan's sons.”

“The Twin Dipshits of Qishan are here to ask my hand in marriage!? And there are still alive!?”

“Well.” Meng Yao said as he brought over the box with his exquisite selection of jade pendants. “As guests, your brother has to honor their request to state their intentions before you, but after that I am pretty sure he is going to behead them both. So don't wear white.”

“Eugh!” Huaisang said as he rummaged for something equally appropriate for both a marriage proposal and a public execution.

“Oh, tell me about it! I tried advising your brother to just slip a little something in their tea, but he grrrrrrr'ed at me. And it was not even a sexy grrrrrrr. It was more like a stop talking now grrrrrr” Meng Yao said with an air of terse exasperation.

“How am I not going to wear white? White is my color.” Huaisang said as he exchanged his little flat coronet, for a bigger one – to look taller of course, life was meaningless without its little vanities after all.

Finally decked in his finest crescent moon, hazy river in the mist pattern robes, and his fringe tastefully brushed with a touch of unkemptness, he and Meng Yao made their way to the main hall, after agreeing that Meng Yao would enter with his head bowed and at least three steps behind him so that Huaisang could appear taller.

The twin dipshits, er, the twin esteemed young lords of Qishan were sitting at a small distance from each other emanating some really cursed vibes, sporting what seemed to be last seasons' red under the falling maple leaves fashions, while Huaisang's own big brother in all of his I grew a moustache when I was fifteen lordly dignity was silently qi deviating on his throne, his knuckles turned completely white as he clutched the armrests of his seat.

When the two lords, Wen Xu and Wen Chao saw him, they elbowed each other for who would sit closer to him. Meng Yao intercepted them both in full bodyguard mode.

“Gentlemen, please. Allow my lord to display his many talents first, then tea. At any given moment, you are not allowed to come within ten paces of him. People's respiration hazes up my lord's complexion.”

Huaisang settled before an elegant study set before the princes, and right below his own brother's dais. He straightened his fringe, did a full profile, three quarters, full face, face posing twice, so the two princes could admire his looks. Having his sleeves arranged elegantly around him on the floor by his beloved manservant Meng Yao, the latter vanished to prepare tea.

Huaisang took out his brush and gave it a lick. Today he was going to do a scroll with a depiction of pines in soft snowfall under the glow of the midwinter moon. And while at it, he would get a good look at those two princes of the Wen, whose eyebrows were doing some weird interpretive dance right now at being told off.  

That Wen Chao was serving evil prince who plans to kill his own father looks, while Wen Xu had that aura of I slay children, but if I had a little sister I would dote on her lovingly.

“So, I heard the two of you, gentlemen, came to ask my hand in marriage.”

“Marry me, lord Huaisang!” Wen Chao said passionately. “My brother Wen Xu barely leaves the house! He is totally under my father's thumb. You'll be locked in every weekend for family dinner.”

“Eugh!” Wen Xu said disgustedly. “Don't marry him, lord Huaisang! He has lost count of his girlfriends. Also he is already married, you wouldn't even be his first!”

“Are you bragging about being a virgin!” Wen Chao yelled.

“At least I don't have twelve different stds. Nor do I trash innocent people's homes and then fall unconscious from doing drugs!”*

Huaisang heard wood splinter. It was his brother's hand slowly digging into the armrest.

“You don't even have a bodyguard. I have Wen Zhuliu. All chicks love Wen Zhuliu. You listen here closely, lord Huaisang, Wen Zhuliu can do benchpresses with you sitting on the bar.” Wen Chao bragged.

“You don't even love him! The only reason you came was because you found out I was interested first. I am going to tell dad!” Wen Xu said shoving his brother. Soon they were locked in what seemed to be a sequence of wrestling headlocks, while Baxia behind him was rattling madly in its stand.

Thankfully right at this moment Meng Yao came in with the tea.

“Stop clenching your jaw.” Huaisang heard Meng Yao whisper to his brother. Mingjue's jaw immediately popped. Since when did the two of them were on such fond terms that his brother did everything Meng Yao said? This was too suspicious.

Meng Yao served him next. “For the love of my mother's bones, please stop licking the brush. It is both gross and unhygienic. Use this cup right over here. I can't believe how anyone would want to marry you!”

“Jealous because you are pressing thirty and no one has ever asked you to marry them?”

Meng Yao silently scoffed and moved on.

“Gentlemen” Huaisang addressed the two evil princes. “Please, settle down. I would love to marry either of you, but Qishan is notorious for its yesterday fashions. So to my great disapointment I can't choose any of you, unless you pledge to do something about the pitiable condition of your clan's fashion state.”

“What are you talking about? Have you seen my designer belt? This is bespoke!” Wen Xu said lifting himself.

“Yes, and it would have greatly impressed me, hadn't it been a KNOCKOFF! Check the decorative hoops at the sides for holding jade pendants. This designer is known for their uniquely constructed ridged hoops. These are plain, not ridged. So do not insult my intelligence. Do you think we are some backwater village up in the mountains we the Qinghe Nie?”

The two princes remained with mouths agape.

“I could be persuaded to choose one of you, if only you abandon your wannabe fashionista who only shops in a bazaar sale ways, and both of you go on a quest to bring me three of the most exclusive, the most discontinued, the most bespoke items in existence!”

“We accept!” Wen Chao said forcefully. “There is no thing Wen money can't buy.”

Huaisang squinted evily. “Oh! Well then, I want each to bring me a semi-cloak cut on a circular pattern, with pleats,  made of the finest fur of Gusu Cold Pond bunnies! And I don't want it in white. I want it in black!”

Wen Chao made a choked sound in his throat. “This is a suicide mission!” he said. “The Lan will skin anyone who tries to skin their bunnies.”

“Only for someone as cowardly as yourself!” Wen Xu said elbowing him.

“Secondly, you must bring me the elegant two fiber fishbone weave stripe pattern sari that Madam Yu Ziyuan head of the Yunmeng Jiang produces and distributes exclusively to her most trusted handmaidens once every season. And I want it to be in the colors of the last fall season! A most tasteful contrast of purple, yellow, red ochra and beige, hemmed with the finest muslin silk money can buy, and a tasteful silver bead trim.”

“Than can be done! I am really close buddies with old Yu.” Wen Chao said.

“You mean after you trashed her place last summer at the pink lotus gala!” Wen Xu said.

“And third! I want a penannular pendant made exclusively from the shell of the Turle of Slaughter, Xuanwu, with its accompanying beads, five of them on each tassel and a sixth in the shape of a buddha sitting on lotus flower design. And I want them to be so finely carved that light passes through them!”

“These things are impossible to make and you know it!” Wen Xu said, chugging some of his tea. “You are just stalling because you can't make a decision. You know what? My father will hear of this. See what he has to say. Come on, brother, we will not be ridiculed in here anymore” Wen Xu continued and lifted his brother, who was also finishing his tea.

The two princes glared at everyone in the hall swearing retribution with their eyes, before sauntering towards the door. But before exiting the hall, they both collapsed on the ground out cold.

“Ooops. I couldn't help myself.” Meng Yao smiled naughtily.

“Meng Yao! These were foreign dignitaries! Brother, tell him something, he killed our esteemed guests. I was going to marry one of them!” Huaisang pouted.

“Meng Yao!” Nie Mingjue finally said after he recovered from his tenth consecutive mini stroke.

“Oh, relax, they are not dead. I just gave them Chifeng-zun’s special relaxing bedtime herbal tea blend.”  Meng Yao said, shuffling towards the snoring suitors to sweep them out of the room.

[somebodyhelpthenotdeadfreds]

No one actually told Will that Abigail was alive.

Will tasted blood for days.

He didn’t know if it was his blood or Abigail’s, or even if it was both. The taste lingered in his mouth like sea spray on a windy day.

He was slipping into the dark embrace of unconscious oblivion as he was loaded onto a stretcher from Hannibal’s kitchen floor, and barely aware of anything else outside of watching Abigail be loaded onto the opposite stretcher. Her eyes were open and glassy, like a dead fish waiting to be trimmed and gutted.

Will shut his eyes, and could not wade back into the stream. It was dry.

Coming to in the hospital, he could only gather bits from the conversations the nurses had over him. Jack was hurt, Alana was hurt. They didn’t discuss Abigail, like the sheer invocation of her voice would bring her back like the ghost in a fairy tale for children, meant to scare them into obedience.

Will dreamed about her.

He dreamed that she sat next to his bed, with her raspy voice and missing ear, angry defeat in her voice. He made a place for us. You were supposed to come with us. You lied to us.

She was never there when he opened his eyes again.

Kade Prunell came into his room, talked to him about the ongoing investigation. In light of recent events, perhaps Will could aid in the recapture. This wasn’t about vengeance, she stressed. This was about justice.

Will closed his eyes, and was standing in the dry stream that only held fishbones and sand. Behind him he could hear a roar, and when he turned he could see a tidal wave coming towards him. He let it wash over him.

He opened his eyes, and pressed the button for the nurse to get Prunell to leave.

He had the dream about Abigail again, where this time, she was standing beside his cot, staring down at him. She had a pillow in her hands, her knuckles white from gripping it so hard. She held it above his face, and he watched it come down, felt her small strong hands hold it over his nose and mouth.

He dreamed he was suffocating, like the water filling the dry stream bed (saltwater now, before it had been fresh) was filling his lungs and slowly shutting off his air supply. In the distance, he could hear a soft, frantic beating that matched his heart. The pillow suddenly vanished from his face, and he wheezed, eyes half open as he stared at the Abigail mirage hovering beside his head. Her eyes were dead. She looked dead. She was dead.

“Put her back in her room.”

It was a doctor’s voice, one of Will’s doctors whom he never bothered to learn the name of, resting a hand on the Abigail mirage’s shoulder. Will expected it to pass through her. It didn’t.

Abigail stared at him as two nurses gently led her away, until she disappeared from Will’s sight. His heart monitor beeped.

The day before his discharge, weeks later, a nurse with too kind of a heart and too gentle with her touch gave him a room number. “I thought you might like to give her a well wish. Lord knows that girl needs as many she can get.”

Will stared at the hospital room number on a letterhead with a kitten in the corner all night.

Abigail was alive, but she was dead.

Hannibal was alive, but he was dead.

Will was alive, and unfortunately, he didn’t feel dead.

Hannibal had forgiven Will. If Will searched his own feelings, his own thoughts, dug through the dry clay and sand at the bottom of the creek bed, he would find his own forgiveness for Hannibal.

Abigail didn’t have forgiveness in her bones. 

Abigail was Cassandra (Cassie, Marisa, those other girls, Georgia, Beverly) cursed to always know and to always remember, and never be able to save her own skin.

He pulled himself up, walking through the quiet hospital at midnight, until he found the correct room. There were so many flowers. Some from Jack, some from Alana, some from a kind nurse or doctor that noticed nobody came for her when she wandered the hallways alone. There was one bouquet of tiger lilies, and Will could taste ginger in his throat. He left to vomit in the bathroom.

He came back to look at the flowers, the empty gestures of sorrow and regret, and looked at Abigail asleep on her cot, posed as though she were ready to be put in the ground with her mother and father. Her chest rose and fall, a last ditch effort to avoid that fate as she had three times now. Three times denying death, and it wasn’t morning yet. Will considered pulling up a chair to watch her sleep, watch for nightmares, but he could see in his mind Hannibal in the other plastic chair across from him, stuck in their cycle.

Will didn’t have to leave.

He could stay. He should stay, stay beside her all night and in the morning ask for forgiveness, tell her everything he had never been able to say to her. He should stay, and she could come home with him to his guest bedroom, let the dogs sleep on her carpet, teach her how to fish instead of hunt. He should stay, and let Hannibal go and let Abigail in.

That’s what he should do. It wasn’t what he was going to do.

He had to find Hannibal. Maybe he’d kill him when he found him. Maybe he’d bring him back to the States and give him to Jack or Prunell. Maybe he’d bring him back to Alana and let her practice her aim on him in the woods outside of his home in Wolf Trap.

Maybe he could bring him back to Abigail. Maybe he could take Abigail with him to find him. Maybe they could all run away together after all.

Will was discharged in the morning, and walked out of the hospital without turning around once. Abigail watched from her window, fingers sticky from hospital grade pancakes and syrup, and scratched at him through the glass with her plastic knife.

[chaotic-trav]

Heck,just imagine them going to school right now.Astrid would be the popular girl,the one who's great in sports,the one who knows all the kids,the one who gets invited to parties,the athletic and strong one, who dreams of being a sports teacher one day,the one who would punch the daylights out of those boys who dared to flirt with her,the one who wouldn't take anything from anyone,she would be the queen bee if the school,every guy would have a crush on her.She would be a disaster at cooking(yaknog is proof of that)and art.But at the end if the day she would still be kind and caring and would never let her reputation make her someone she dosen't want to, if she can help it.She would probably have alot of friends but would worry of all of them are actually for real or not,she would probably ignore Hiccup at first because she had a reputation to keep but when it would come down to doing the right thing or protecting her reputation, you can bet that she would choose the right thing.Those two would still have a lot in common like the fact that they are both pretty smart and sarcastic and pass all of their test with an A or A plus,at least a B,and would always be fighting for the second position since Fishlegs would always be first.Hiccup on the other hand would be the total opposite,he would be that weird guy who always sits at the back of the class,not to talk but to avoid his bullies,he would be super nerdy and would like to spend all his free time in the library or in one of his clubs,he would be the one who loves to donate money to charity.He would be great at cooking and art.He would also be filthy rich,since he would be the mayor's son,but you would never hear him brag about that,instead he would probably get bullied for being such a screw-up and fishbone when his father was such an accomplished man,he would probably have a pretty strained relationship with his dad as well.But he would still be the kind, gentle,sarcastic,sassy,insecure,funny,dorky Hiccup we all know and love.

Just bear with me and imagine,Its their senior year,Snotlout and the twins are picking on him for being such a disappointment to his father,Astrid coming to his aid. Hiccup saying his thanks,offering Astrid coffee as an repayment for her kindness.Astrit telling him that it was the right thing to do and nobody would have just stood and let him be bullied,but she accepted his offer,Hiccup telling that she was wrong and that if anyone else had seen that they would have encouraged Snotlout to continue.This would have probably caused Astrid to be shocked,abd asking Hiccup why he would think in such a way, Hiccup swiftly telling her that it happened on a daily basis.This would probably raise many questions,and by the time they reach the cafe,owned by Dagur the Deranged Astrid is wondering why she hadn't noticed this boy before.She immediately apologizes for not noticing him and Hiccup just shrugging it off with a"Why would you notice a guy like me anyway?".Astrid lightly punching his shoulder and telling him that he seemed like a great guy and he shouldn't be so hard on himself.Hiccup just replying with a sarcastic comment.They keep chatting for a while.Hiccup insisting on walking Astrid home,Astrud giving him her number,telling him to call her later.This causes a new friendship and they both realize that they have many things in common,their sass, sarcasm and stubbornness for example.Astrid falling for this nerdy and dorky guy,while Hiccup always liked Astrid.The school being shocked at the unusual friendship those two have.Some even begin to ship those two.All the bullies backing off once they realize that Astrid is ready to kill anyone who harms Hiccup.Hiccup's relationship with his dad starts to improve and Astrid seems to have a great relationship with Stoick,who is the biggest Huccstrid shipper alive(the man even has a Hiccstrid shirt).Astrid meeting Gobber Hiccup's crazy godfather,who Hiccup seems to have a weird but pretty good relationship with,who also not all subtley asks when they are gonna bang,which causes both of them to blush and tell him they are just friends.Hiccup and Astrid both the biggest fans alive for the movie How to train your dragon.Astrid meets Hiccup's cat Toothless,at first they are both wary of each other but they soon warm up to each other.Hicvup meeting Stormfly Astrid's parrot,and they both immediately like each other,unlike Toothless and Astrid.

Then a fire happens.Hiccup's cat Toothless gets stuck and Hiccup rushes to save him.He success but loses the lost part of his left leg.Astrid finding out and immediately rushing to the hospital.Astrid finding out that Hiccup is unconscious and has list his lower left leg,Astrid crying and realizing that she loves Hiccup.Finally Hiccup wakes up,he's devasted to find out about his left leg. Astrid coming to visit him,punchimg his shoulder,scolding him to her scare her like that again,Hiccup sassing back that go just got up and he has enough injuries and didn't need another one,which instantly lightens up the mood.Astrid keeps visiting him straight from school,bringing her schoolwork along and keeping Hiccup up to date with both the schoolwork and the gossip.Hiccup getting out of the hospital,walking on crutches for a while,he also takes intensive therapy.Astrud getting him through the days when he's feeling hopeless or feeling as if he doesn't deserve to live or he's not a man because he lost his leg.Astrid being there for him,comforting him,being his strength.And Hiccup does the same for her,he gets her though her worst days,he reminds her that she's a wonderful person when she feels insecure.He also reminds Astrid that he will always be there for her making her feeling cared for.The school losing their mind watching those two oblivious people be so blind to each other's feelings,when it's cleared day they belong together.

Then comes graduation,both of them pass with great marks and are going to the same university.They go to a cliffside after graduation,abd watch the sunset,and in that moment Astrid confesses her feelings and Hiccup tells her he has felt that way for her for a long time.As the sun sets they both kiss and that is how they start dating.They both accomplish their dreams,and end up married,with Hiccup as an engineer and Astrid the sports teacher of Berk High. They gave two kids named Zephyr and Nuffink

That's all.Thank you for taking the time of day to read my useless cliche garbage.I don't even know what possessed me to write this,and I doubt that I will ever know.Anyway thank you to whoever is reading this.

HICCSTRID UNTIL THE END.

[coneygoil]

The Home We Built Together, part 30

Two young Vikings. An arranged marriage. Hiccup always wanted to win the girl of his dreams, but not like this. Now he and Astrid must learn to live together and maybe one day, learn to love…

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9| Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29

Writer’s note: The 19th marked one year that I first posted this fic!! It’s amazing to see how far it’s come! 

Her breathing was even now.

Astrid had fallen asleep against his side, her head resting upon his slender chest. Hiccup hadn’t loosened his hold on her. He couldn’t, not after almost losing her.

His heart had plummeted to the bottom of his stomach when he realized Astrid had fallen from the saddle. There was little comfort when he looked back to find she’d landed on a ledge. The red dragon had instantly sensed her presence there.

“We gotta go back, bud!”

Toothless didn’t hesitate firing at the red dragon. He aimed for its most vulnerable part – the eyes (and Night Furies never miss) -- and the dragon retreated, furious and snarling. The short window gave them enough time to rescue Astrid.

There was a lot to be said and discussed. A plan to formulate. A village and a whole fleet of dragons to protect. But now was not the time.

Hiccup had noticed Astrid’s behavior after the rescue. She was clearly shaken and upset, but when she collapsed in his arms sobbing uncontrollably, it was then that Hiccup realized how deeply it had affected her. Astrid was a pillar of strength, and to see her in such a state of distress had jarred him.

A new commitment welled up inside him. A fierce need to protect that he’d never experience before.

Hiccup was always the one in need of protection. He was the talking fishbone that could barely lift a weapon. He never had to worry about anyone but himself, really. But now? There was more at stake than just his puny well being.

Hiccup squeezed Astrid’s sleeping form a little closer against him, planting a tender kiss to her golden crown. He kept his lips pressed in her hair and whispered the three words he wished to utter aloud, “I love you.”

As if his confession stirred her from slumber, Astrid shifted in his arms. Her hair brushed his jawline as she lifted her head to sleepily look at him. Hiccup waited with bated breath. Had she heard his confession? Would she return the endearment? The first signs of daylight were peeking on the horizon, and the lamp continued to burn low on the bedside table. She blinked her eyes, still puffy from the breakdown she’d had not even a couple hours before.

Astrid cupped his cheek, her fingertips brushing softly on his skin. Hiccup nuzzled into her palm. He’d never had the chance to feel a loving touch before. He never knew his mother and his father only held him as a young boy. He’d longed for something his skin had never experienced. But now, he could have it and he closed his eyes to savor the caress of Astrid’s hand upon his cheek.

He was pleasantly surprised with a soft kiss that he returned in sweet pecks. They continued to plant little kisses on each other’s lips as Astrid pull him with her to sit up on the bed. They’d both gotten better at kissing, having lots of practice as of late. Hiccup was thankful they’d gotten passed the awkward dance of shyness of expressing their affections.  

With hand upon the back of his neck, Astrid drew him into a deeper kiss. A kiss that told of unspoken need. A kiss that told of unspoken of love. Astrid broke away, though only mere inches from Hiccup’s face. Their heavy breathes warmed each other’s faces. He longed to capture her lips with his once more, to pour out the love that were overflowing inside of him.

Then Astrid spoke the words that made his heart soar, “I want to be your wife in every way.”

He searched her face, the reassurance of her gaze leading him on. This was what he’d longed for. “I want to be your husband in every way.”

***

Rap. Rap.

Hiccup’s face scrunched at the loud noise banging in his head.

Rap. Rap. Rap.

He groaned at the noise banging faster. He rolled over to hide under his pillow, or at least he would have if he wouldn’t have been held down. He blinked away the blur in his vision to find an arm strapped over his chest. The golden crown of his wife was cushioned against his shoulder, and her leg was thrown over his. She was cuddled up to him like he was an oversized stuffed toy.

“Hiccup? Astrid?” the all-too familiar heavy lilt of Gobber called from outside.

Why was Gobber at their front door? Hiccup peered out the window, eyes widening in realization. It had to at least be lunchtime!

“Astrid!” he hissed, taping her arm splayed over his chest. She’d never slept this deeply before, and Hiccup wondered why she was so tired-

Oh.

The thoughts of their union just a couple hours ago suddenly slammed into his memory like a magnificent, engulfing wave. The innocent exploration of each other’s bodies. The awkward positioning as they figured out how to fit together. The satisfying pants on one another’s faces at the height of pleasure that hit all too soon. The odd thought that, yes, there was blood afterwards mingled in just as Astrid had said on their wedding night. Heat flushed on his face when Hiccup remembered they didn’t bother redressing and were sleeping against each other in their birthday suits.

Astrid rolled off him, eyes slit open just enough to see him. “Huh?”

Hiccup jumped out of bed. “Gobber is here looking for us. I think it’s lunchtime already!” Glancing down at himself, he flushed at his bare skinny body. No time to linger on the fact that he was completely nude in the middle of the day in front of his wife. He fumbled with his shirt that had been strewn on the floor, shivering at the chill of it on his warm skin. Not bothering to put on undershorts, he tugged on pants, nearly falling over in the process. He dashed down the stairs to the bottom floor, dodging furniture on the way to the front door.

Hiccup yanked open the door, revealing Gobber with hook hand half raised to knock. “Hey, Gobber,” he greeted, slightly winded. Hiccup tried to look casual as he leaned against the door, planting the other hand on his hip and giving a toothy smile that wasn’t fooling a yak.

“Hiccup, you and Astrid missed dragon training this morning. I was wondering if one of those beasts had eaten you two for breakfast.”

Hiccup focused a chuckle, trying to hold up his pants that he carelessly tied on while stumbling down the stairs. “No. Me and Astrid had a long night.” He feigned an exaggerated yawn. “We uh… just overslept.”

Gobber narrowed his beady eyes suspiciously then the older man’s bushy eyebrows lifted into his forehead. His mustache spread into a wide smile. “Oh, I see.” He leaned in close as if there were people around that might hear. There was actually no one nearby. “Did you two finally decide to take your honeymonth?”

If this was anyone besides Gobber, Hiccup would have been terrified of the consequences. But even so, he went stock still.

Gobber chuckled lightly. “Oh, don’t worry, Hiccup. Your secret is safe with me. It’s okay that it didn’t happen right away. You two are young and still discovering your bodies. Ye just needed to get some practice in before the big event.”

Hiccup raked twitchy fingers through his hair that was most likely disheveled more than usual. As much as he wanted to sink into a hole talking about the private matter, he was thankful it was Gobber as the listening ear. Gobber was probably the only one in the entire village who’d take an understanding to their decision to wait. “Yeah, I guess we did.”

Gobber straightened as he stood back. “You two kids take all the time ye need. I’ll see ye back at work when you’re ready.” He winked before lumbering off in the direction of the forge.

Hiccup stood there in the doorway wondering if that conversation actually just happened. They’d been a bit of controversy about him and Astrid not taking their honeymonth (but when was anything involving Hiccup not met with controversy). It was never addressed to them face to face, but Hiccup overheard hushed tones around the corners of buildings and passing conversation in the Great Hall. Why was the Chief’s son not spending the time with his new bride? But their consummation had been confirmed (though a little deceitfully), and they’d had permission from the Chief to continue their duties only because of the fast approaching winter months and the need to train the newest warriors for Berk’s defense against dragon raids.

Shaking himself out of his bewildering contemplation, Hiccup shut the door.

“Did Gobber give you an earful?”

Hiccup spun around to find Astrid at the top of the stairs. Dressed in a red tunic. His red tunic. With pale, bare legs extending from the hem. He stared, awestruck, mouth slightly gaping. He’d never seen her in red, but he knew instantly he wanted to see her in that color more often.

Hiccup swallowed. “He let us off the hook.” He gravitated toward Astrid descending the stairs like she was a magnet pulling him in. As if just the sheer act of kissing her wasn’t enough to make him think he was living in an amazing dream, his mind shifted once again to their marriage bed. How his lips yearned to kiss the column of her neck and beyond. “Somehow he figured out we hadn’t yet…y’know—” Hiccup laced his fingers together.

Astrid laughed softly. “If you wouldn’t have acted so obvious whenever he brought it up.”

“How am I supposed to act when talking about…that?” Most Viking men talked quite bluntly and with no shame about the makings of their marriage bed. If Hiccup was supposed to start talking that openly about his and Astrid’s privacy, then he’d rather stay in his perpetual awkward state.

Astrid sighed with a little grunt and met him in the middle of the room. “I don’t know.” Her hand found his shoulder while her other lingered on his chest, teasing the skin between his loosened shirt ties. “I’m happy we became husband and wife completely.”

Hiccup felt the breath in his lungs shudder in delight. His hands found her hips. Astrid snaked arms around his neck as he drew her closer. “Me too.” He couldn’t help the soft smile that crossed his lips. “Gobber excused us from our duties.”

Astrid grinned, twirling a lock of his hair around her finger. “That means we can—”

“Go fly Toothless farther again--Ow!” Hiccup retreated into a defensive position when Astrid’s fist smacked his shoulder. “What was that for!?”

Astrid crossed arms over her chest. “Sometimes I wonder if I’m competing with a dragon for your affection.” Her mouth was an unamused straight line, but her eyes still held a twinkle.

“Toothless can’t give me this,” he replied in a deep suave tone. He pulled her by the biceps, planting a gentle peck on her lips. He shrugged a shoulder, looking thoughtful. “I mean, he could but it’d be way slobberier.”

Astrid’s grin was back. “I can hit you again, if you’d like?”

They dissolved into laughter until the moment had passed.

“What’re we going to do about the dragon’s nest?” The question sobered the mood and laid a heavy blanket of burden around them.

Hiccup frowned. “I don’t know. Not yet, at least.” The fear that clinched his heart when the massive dragon emerged from the pit returned, but that was nothing compared to losing Astrid off the back of Toothless. He could still feel the sensation of her sobbing in his arms and the fierce need to protect her that had awoken inside him.

Caressing her cheek, he vowed to her with all that was inside him, “I promise, I’ll protect you.”

Astrid search his eyes then shook her head, determined and strong as the Astrid he knew. “No, Hiccup. We protect each other.”

They held each other there in the middle of the living room, the promise bonding them together. Hiccup never knew he could feel this intensely for anything, but as they stayed there, he knew without a shadow of doubt that he’d formulate a plan to protect Berk and the dragons and Toothless. But most of all, the girl that he loved.

***

Writer’s note: It finally happened! I’d gone back and forth ever since I started this fic with whether I’d have them consummate the marriage during this fic. As the story progressed, it felt like it should happen. I’m not completely satisfied how some of this chapter came out. There were two moments that I’d been working up to and I felt I didn’t emphasize them enough. But I’ve been working on this chapter for like nearly a month now and if those parts hadn’t improved yet, then they probably weren’t going to. I’m happy with how the story is playing out and there’s so many more big things that are about to happen!

Thank you to all y’all who are keeping up with this story! I really hoped y’all are getting the same enjoyment I’m getting from writing it <3

Tags:  @martabm90​ @chiefhiccstrid @drchee5e @celtictreemuffin @hey-its-laura-again

[wilderwestking]

Grounded (Oneshot)

Rating: T

Summary: Hiccup mentions it at breakfast one morning; a passing phrase and nothing more.

“Sometimes I wish none of it was real—especially the dragons.”

///

Hiccup asks the question as they lay in their marriage bed.

“Was it all worth it?”

Astrid is laying beside him, their bodies pressed tightly together. He wraps one arm around her, skin sticky from lovemaking. She curls into his touch, pushing her body into his side.

Hiccup is acutely aware of her presence; the way her hair sticks to her skin as well as his, the way her eyes, bluer than the skies they once commanded, watch him with a burning intensity.

She sits up on her elbows, peering down at him. Around her shoulders, her hair falls in golden waves like the great waterfall at the edge of the world.

Anxiety rushes through Hiccup’s veins like lightning from a Skrill. Was he good enough? Did he deserve her? Did he deserve any of this?

“I’d say you were pretty good,” Astrid says, smiling down at him, a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she peppers kisses along his jaw.

“No, no,” Hiccup says, gently pushing his wife away. Confused, she sits back, tilting her head to peer curiously at her husband.

“Then what do you mean, babe?”

“Was… everything worth it?” Hiccup says slowly, struggling to find the right words to explain his jumbled thoughts. “Berk. New Berk. The dragons…”

Astrid’s face softens, her hand reaching for his chin. She tilts his head so that he’s looking up at her.

The cool night air freezes the sweat against their body, and Hiccup can make out the goosepimples that rise along her arms.

He can see it in her eyes—she doesn’t have an answer for him. But she kisses him and holds him as he lies awake through the night. Somehow, that’s enough.

                                                    xXx

The thoughts stay away for weeks.

It isn’t until they are sitting in the newly constructed Mead Hall and New Berk’s children are putting on a play of the Battle for New Berk that he feels the emotion creeping up.

Children of various ages are dressed as New Berk’s Chief, his riders, and their dragons.

Hiccup watches with hollow eyes and a broken heart as the children run along a wooden stage, growling and waving wooden swords. Finally, the child playing Toothless disappears behind a curtain, vanishing from the wooden “New Berk” and leaving Hiccup aching.

Around him, parents and viewers clap for the performance. The children rush out, waving at their parents and basking in praise. Then, Astrid’s elbow is in his side, reminding him of his role.

The Chief of New Berk claps for the children, but Hiccup is somewhere far away.

Astrid turns to him, seeing through his chiefly façade. Her hand, gentle and firm all in one, takes its rightful place in his. Giving him a squeeze, he is pulled back to the present.

Hiccup looks up at his wife, her lips parted in an unspoken question.

He stands up, smiles and ruffles the kids’ hair as expected as Chief, but then he makes his exit.

Together, they walk to the edge of New Berk where the ocean waits a thousand feet below, hungry and wanting. Before them, it spans for as far as the eye can see, to the edge of the world.

Astrid nudges him, and wrapping his arms around her, things are all right.

                                              xXx

Hiccup mentions it at breakfast one morning; a passing phrase and nothing more.

“Sometimes I wish none of it was real—especially the dragons.”

Astrid’s head bolts up, eyes squinting at her husband and mouth turning downward in a frown. Their breakfast is forgotten.

“What do you mean?”

Hiccup looks up at her, and Astrid can see the pain behind his eyes. His shoulders drop, as though they can no longer carry the weight of his sadness. Even though he's a chief, he still feels like a useless, fishbone of a boy; the village runt. He wishes he still was.

“They’re gone, Astrid. Everything I fought for…everything I believed in…everything I was. I—I just, Gods , who am I without them?”

Astrid is at his side in an instant, her arms wrapped around his frame. He has yet to clip the bear-skin cloak to his shoulders, so she can easily swathe her husband in her waiting arms.

“You’re a chief. And a husband. And the smartest, bravest, most knuckle-headed guy I know.” She soothes, resting her cheek on his head.

Beneath her, he sobs.

                                                 xXx

It’s worse with the eyes of the tribe on him.

New Berk is just that… new. Even after a year of living on the new island, there is work to be done. Villagers busy their hands with logging, farming, fishing, and other tasks that need to be finished before they can retire to the Mead Hall for libations and rest.

Hiccup, a servant to his people as his father taught him, can often be found in the dirt alongside them. He isn’t as strong as the rest of them, but he does his part to build a better home.

As the Vikings work, they make jokes and they tell stories. They talk of the days when Timberjacks cut their forests down and Monstrous Nightmares helped them build their homes.

Hiccup remains silent, but the images of black wings and a wet nose pushing into his hand, fill his mind.

He works until the sun disappears beneath the Earth and his bones yearn for respite. He drags his exhausted body home, and every night, she is there, arms open and smiling at him.

Weary from being landlocked, they make love to feel the rush of flying again.

It’s then, curled in his lover’s arms, that he says,

“I wish I’d never shot him down.”

                                                 xXx

Years pass, and the village prospers as it grows. Hiccup takes it all in stride, fearing hardening his heart to the pain he’s known. But time makes the ache dull, for the most part.

New Berk is blessed with tall cliffs, and yet, none of them fill Hiccup’s heart with the same fondness that flying brought him. But he finds himself drawn to them, nonetheless.

And she’s there. Hand in his, firm and sure.

She’s always known who she was; with or without dragons. And although he can see she is hurting too, she has adapted in a way he believes he never will.

“Sometimes,” He speaks, tongue darting over dry, cracked lips. “Sometimes, I wish I had never met him. I wish none of it had ever happened.”

“You don’t mean that,” She whispers to him.

“No, I don’t.” He admits, “I wish I did, though. Gods, I wish I wished they weren’t real.”

On the cliffs, they can feel the wind rushing around them like invisible claws trying to lift them from the ground. Astrid’s hair whips around her face, but her expression remains the same; strong and supportive and beautiful and everything he needs. He kisses her. Desperate and scared and sad and wanting, he kisses her.

She’s real. As real as Toothless. As real as Berk.  As real as the last ten years.

She’s real and she’s his.

He may never fly again, but with her at his side, he could learn to love the ground.

[hashtagartistlife]

Thoughts TM on the Live Action (hard spoilers ahead. Also, warning: it’s long.):

- Firstly, the casting. The absolute Best casting decision in this whole movie, visuals-and-acting-wise, is Isshin hands down. He LOOKS like Isshin, he ACTS like Isshin-- actually, Movie!Isshin > Manga!Isshin. They toned down the goof a tiny bit, played up his love and concern for the kids, and put him in an APRON for 90% of his screentime and made him the homemaker. (A++++ MOVE, WHY THE HELL WAS YUZU COOKING FOR EVERYBODY AT THE AGE OF NINE. BAD DECISION KUBO).

- Second best casting decision is Kuchiki Rukia. I remember when her stills first came out I wasn’t 100% on this casting because sure she was gorgeous but she looked????? SO YOUNG????? but guys, she nailed it. NAILED IT. Hana Sugisaki based goddess and if u aren’t her fan now you will be by the time the movie ends.

- Sota Fukushi as Ichigo.... hm. Given that my only criteria when drawing Ichigo is to make him as hot as humanly possible, it was 100% guaranteed that any actor they put up for the role would fall short of my visual expectations from an Ichigo. NGL there are more good looking men out there than Sota Fukushi but to quote both Ro and I from our rabb.it chat during the movie...... sota fukushi hard smash 

(- ok but a serious dilemma: are we attracted to him because he’s attractive, or because he’s playing ichigo and ichigo’s attractive????

-also, chad’s actor hard smash as well)

- SPEAKING of Chad.... he had. Minimal role in the movie but I love that they showed a bit of his bromance with Ichigo. It was always such a cute friendship and they did it justice with what little they showed! Anyway, I like his casting and Orihime’s too, visually speaking. 

- The other casts were fine. Not !!!! worthy but like not terrible casting either. Honestly I feel like Miyavi as Byakuya could have really worked if they hadn’t given him that... AWFUL hair. The hair is even more awful in the movie than it is in the still cuts. Believe it. 

- A final note on the casting... I really hated noticing this but Orihime’s actress? Erina Mano? Looks a LOT like the actress they cast for Masaki and i hate noticing it but I did. But it’s not time for the ir tea/ih salt yet that comes later

- Secondly: Characterisation. Overall decent, but you can really tell that like... they spent the most amount of care on getting the central IR dynamic right and sorta just went ‘lol that’s good enough’ for the others. It’s almost like they spent all of their characterisation budget on IR and had minimal left over to spare for minor characters (e.g: Orihime). You’ll see what I mean.

- Once again, hands down best characterisation in the whole movie is Isshin and Rukia. Isshin’s bodily comedy with Ichigo was done SO realistically, in a way that’s funny and not too over-the-top. The way they kept playing off each other as slightly overbearing father and moody teenage son was FANTASTIC. And one of the moments that had me MOST emotional in this movie was when Isshin was shown by Ichigo’s bedside, taking care of him while he’s recovering from injuries. Ichigo, upon waking from a dream of his mum, asks Isshin if he ever dreams of her. Isshin’s answer? ‘Every night’. EVERY NIGHT, MOTHERFUCKER. GOD I was never a hard isshimassa stan but this movie got me FEELING things for them 

- Hana’s interpretation of Rukia is FANTASTIC. Unbelievably spot on. The emotional unavailability, her rigid initial adherence to what she believes is the shinigami code, the adorable naivete re: human world customs, the way she steamrollers over Ichigo, the way that, no matter how hard she tries to be aloof, she can’t hide the fact that she cares. She cares so much. And honestly, if there’s one thing this movie does well, it’s how they managed to get those manga-panel comic violence situations to translate so well to reality. Isshin-on-Ichigo violence translated well, and the Rukia-on-Ichigo violence translates excellently as well. Their little bickering scenes play out EXACTLY how I, at least, imagined them to go, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Also, I honestly think her looking really young works to her advantage, because it really gives you a sense of like… how bemused Ichigo must be by this whole situation. My predominant thought every time hana is on screen is SHE’S SO CUTE AND LOVELY I CAN’T DEAL WITH IT, except this tiny girl who you can only think of as ‘cute’ is like…. Bossing you around and beating your ass with a sword and instilling fucking philosophy lessons in you. It’s so surreal? And if it’s surreal for US then just imagine how surreal it must be for Ichigo.

- Sota’s Ichigo.... once again, hmm. His ‘trying to be cool’ acting (i.e. during the fight scenes) was cringey, but I can’t tell if that’s his acting skill or just the fact that what looks ‘cool’ on manga panels inVARIABLY look cringey in real life. Probably the latter. And I think he’s a LITTLE too growly for my taste, but then again, I’m used to post-timeskip Ichigo who’s a bit more... low-key cynical rather than prickly. Initial Ichigo was pretty abrasive, so I guess that’s in-character. Also, his most-said line of dialogue in this movie is ‘HAH??’ which is hilarious and very in-character. Honestly, Hana as Rukia is straight up excellent for the whole duration of the movie but I definitely think Sota shone MOST when he was acting in combination with Isshin or Rukia. Whatever I think about his individual acting skills, he definitely had chemistry with those actors in terms of dynamics.

- Guys, the IR in this is fantastic. Brilliant. Like I said, their bickering plays out to a TEE how I imagined things to go. Literally cannot fault their bickering. Their soft heartfelt moments are SO GOOD too. And they were all shot so…. Intimately? Their softer scenes were shot with such heartbreaking tenderness and I just….. ugh. Hana Sugisaki REALLY brought her acting A-game. ALSO THE WAY LITERALLY EVERYONE THINKS THEY’RE DATING??? RENJI SHOWS UP AND IS LIKE ‘OOPS I THINK I KILLED YOUR BOYFRIEND’ TO RUKIA. RENJI SAYS THAT. BYAKUYA THINKS SHE’S TOO ‘EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED’. Not to even mention Keigo and Tatsuki and Orihime……. God. Absolutely unbelievable.

- Now, if I was being picky and HAD to talk about a few gripes…. Let’s see. It takes Ichigo more time to warm up to Rukia than in canon, and he’s more of an asshole to her in this time period too. But y’know, that’s a very minor gripe. The other teeny tiny gripe I have about the IR is like…. A gripe but also not a gripe at the same time lmfao. OK so at the end when Renji and Byakuya are trying to take Rukia away, Ichigo plants himself in front of Rukia and says ‘I’m going to protect you’ and he repeats this multiple times in the fight, which, yes, extremely shippy, I’m going to die on the pavement et al, but also… this might be a weird gripe for some, because the ir dynamic has always been them protecting and saving each other. But not in so many words? It’s always been a very equal protection dynamic, partly because Rukia won’t LET him be her protector. I subscribe to the meta that this is precisely why she’s good for Ichigo. It’s also what drives him up the wall, because WHY WON’T SHE LET HIM KEEP HER SAFE, but it’s the fact that Rukia REFUSES to be one of his ‘protected people’, the fact that Rukia DEMANDS equal footing to him, that quashes down the more destructive aspects of his will to protect. But yeah, I feel like that line – ‘I’m going to protect you/her’, repeated multiple times—sort of erases the inherent equality in their dynamic and puts Rukia in the ‘protected’ pile. But that’s just because the movie didn’t have enough time for the rest of the arc. Look honestly the ir in the movie is FINE. The only reason I’m even bringing this up is because I have the manga version to compare it to, and it’s an unfair comparison to begin with because obviously the manga has so much more to work with. Overall, if you’re worried about the IR characterisation in this movie—don’t be. They hard carried the whole thing. Sota and Hana are an absolute DELIGHT to watch playing off each other. They have GREAT chemistry supported by well-shot scenes and good dialogue. 11/10 worth watching just for these two alone.

- Yuzu and Karin. Even though they changed their designs to look identical in the movie (I’m guessing for the instant visual cue of ‘oh they’re twins!’), I’m glad they kept their personalities the same. Karin is snarky as ever, Yuzu is sweet. So +1 for that. But then they made Yuzu (Karin?) say ‘Onii-chan, I’m scared’ during the fishbone D attack, rather than the canonical ‘get away, you’ll get hurt’. Which… look, fair, she’s eleven, I think that’s more realistic, but ALSO YOU JUST???? CHANGED HER WHOLE CHARACTERISATION. CAN WE PUT SOME RESPECT ON HER NAME PLEASE

- Uryuu……hmm. They made him a LITTLE more chill than he was in the manga, but he was such a dramatic character in canon already that he still comes off pretty darn dramatic in the movie. I did really like his characterisation, but he had such little screentime that I’m finding it difficult to like… do any substantial comparisons to his manga character. I’m thinking I might need a rewatch to solidify my opinions on Uryuu. But his little scene at the very end with Ichigo after they all lose their memories of Rukia is very sweet and makes me wonder about their dynamic if they hadn’t had all this quincy-shinigami bs to sort through.

- Chad was in the movie even less than Uryuu, but I have no complaints about his characterisation. Pretty accurate to manga canon.

- Guys I LOVE Keigo in this movie. ‘He died on the spot’ Iconic roast. LET KEIGO ROAST ICHIGO 2K18

- Tatsuki was eh. She wasn’t in the movie long enough for me to really have an opinion on her characterisation, and it’s unfortunate that the only part of her character they brought from manga canon was the ‘give Orihime bad advice on how to date Ichigo’ part, but whatever. It’s not technically WRONG characterisation, just not the FULL characterisation.

- Orihime…………… god, Orihime. Look you guys know that even though I have my ‘and NONE FOR ORIHIME BYE’ days, they’re mostly in jest, and I actually do appreciate her as a character. I like her, mostly! I think she’s fascinating to write about and explore! I think she deserved good things, better things than what the ending set her up for!

- But I’d strangle movie Orihime without hesitation. Bye bitch

- OK, you know how you thought anime Orihime with her constant ‘Kurosaki-kun’s was annoying??? Movie orihime was WORSE. Movie Orihime? Straight up yandere. She literally doesn’t have a single appearance where she’s not talking about Ichigo or being weirdly jealous of Ichigo and Rukia’s friendship or worrying about Ichigo in an overbearing, over-the-top way. And I’m actually really frustrated and disappointed about this, because early Karakura Orihime was ACTUALLY A GOOD CHARACTER!!!!!! Orihime, imo, is the most egregious OOC in this movie. Which is a shame, because the rest of the characterisation was actually… ok and decent

- Renji and Byakuya….. ohhhh boy. Renji and Byakuya are characterised as straight up villains for the whole movie with no redemption. There’s no nuance of them being possibly friendly and/or having concern for Rukia at all throughout the whole movie, which could be OOC depending on how you look at it, but honestly it makes sense considering this movie only covers up to chapter 56 Broken Coda and does NONE of the SS arc. Basically, their characterisations are how we would characterise them based on the one time they came to collect Rukia. They’re cold, uncaring, think humans aren’t worth anything, and that emotions are a human weakness. RENJI STRAIGHT UP SWINGS A SWORD AT AN UNARMED CIVILIAN CLOTHED RUKIA (yes I know it happened in the manga too but. It’s a lot more shocking watching it happen real-time) and also STABBED!!!! URYUU!!!!!! IN THE BACK!!! WHILE HE WASN’T DOING ANYTHING THREATENING!!! So, uh, this movie really said ‘fuck renji rights’. God I’m imagining like… if ur introduction to Bleach was through this movie, and you decided to look up how the manga ends and it’s RENRUKI and you’re like ?????????????? THE DUDE SWUNG A SWORD AT HER????? Like FORGET IH, this movie really fucking hated rr. Which… im not mad about lmfao

- Final note on characterisation: as usual, IR fucking hard carries, but what ELSE is new for this franchise. Isshin was a surprising dark horse. Overall, characterisation FINE, not OOC with one glaring exception, but sometimes because of time constraints certain characters didn’t get their FULL RANGE of characterisation.

- THIRDLY: overall technical excellence of the movie in terms of script, camera angles, choreography, CGI, etc etc

- My one line summary for this is…. It’s an anime live action adaptation. I hope ur not expecting much from this department at all

- Like, in terms of is it a GOOD movie? Lmfao. I enjoyed the hell out of it, sure, but I don’t think someone who has no idea what bleach is would a) understand what the heck is going on OR b) find the story to be well-paced and well-told. Like, I KNEW what was coming and what was going on, and even I found the movie to be a bit disjointed, kind of like old metal machinery that needs oiling to get going.

- Honestly this movie is similar to the manga in that… technically speaking it’s not great, but its strengths lie in the character arcs and the overall poetic parallels it tries to pull. It may not have been the most artistically executed, but I could tell that they really tried to put the parallel in between IR protecting each other and Masaki dying to protect Ichigo. Like, an attempt was noted! It was appreciated! Obviously they don’t do it with as much grace as the manga did but y’know, they tried!

- The script was actually really great in this movie. Bleach is a very snarky manga and the script really showcases that. Everyone shows a lot of sass. I like that. The one exception to the script being good was whenever a hollow opened its mouth to speak. They really gave the hollows dialogue like ‘I WANT YOUR SOUL’ and ‘GIVE ME YOUR SOUL’…. Like. Someone got paid for that dialogue and they really shouldn’t have.

- I honestly don’t have an opinion on the CGI. Ro kept saying that the cgi was BAD and like I guess it was, but I’m pretty lenient about CGI in general. I already know it’s going to be CGI so unless it’s BLATANTLY fake I overlook it.

- But there is this ONE SCENE of Renji going into shikai that looks so awfully fake that even I was like ‘ok no that was BAD’ so I guess CGI bad

- The choreo in the fight scenes is messy and disjointed and very cringey. I can’t believe they managed to pull manga-style comical violence in REAL LIFE and make it look believable and funny, but couldn’t choreography a decent fight scene……. Man idk. I guess they really DID spend all their budget on making IR as excellent as possible.

- Overall: technically speaking it’s a terrible movie, but will that hinder your enjoyment of it? Probably not. Watch it just for the excellent banter.

- FINALLY: Miscellaneous yelling about various scenes through 120% Ichiruki-filtered glasses.

- Guys, this movie. This movie. They really sat down and said ‘ok give them literally every single early-karakura ichiruki fanfic trope situation ever’ and that’s it, that’s the movie

- ICHIGO KEEPS LEANING DOWN RIGHT INTO RUKIA’S FACE!!!! THEY HAVE NOOOOO CONCEPT OF PERSONAL SPACE!!!! Which I guess is canon but THEY KEEP!!!!! LEANING!!!!! INTO EACH OTHER!!!! I will DIE

- The sPARRING????????? THE SPARRING?????

- Ichigo smirks while sparring her. She’s kicking his ass and goddammit, he LIKES it

- They legit made Rukia tackle Ichigo and pin him to the ground and then they made Ichigo flip them around

- And then they made ORIHIME WALK IN ON THAT

- UN!!!! BELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

- (Sidenote: they made Orihime act so weirdly jealous of that?? Like… wtf orihime. You’re not his girlfriend like she has no rights to be acting like this…. Look the Orihime characterisation in this movie is A Mess)

- They have conversations through shut closet doors while ichigo’s lying on his bed THIS APPEARS IN EVERY. SINGLE. IR EARLY KARAKURA FIC EVER IM

- Ichigo: CAN YOU GET OUT OF MY CLOSET. NO YOU CAN’T LIVE IN MY HOUSE

- Also Ichigo, the INSTANT he can’t find Rukia in his closet: WHERE IS SHE. LET ME JUST RUN AROUND IN THE DARK OUTSIDE TO FIND HER. HEY URYUU HOW DO I GET TO THE AFTERLIFE. WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN’T BRING HER BACK. SO WHAT IF I DO, HUH? WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT. FIGHT ME

- Also ichigo becomes so much SOFTER towards Rukia after a certain point in this movie and…. God…… I love that you can see that switch in Sota’s acting. I’m going to CRY

- OK THIS IS A VERY SHORT SCENE BUT AT ONE POINT RUKIA LANDS ON A ROOFTOP WITH AN INJURED ICHIGO AND SHE LIT. RUBS HER HANDS ALL OVER THE BARE SKIN ON HIS CHEST BC SHE’S RUBBING MEDICINE INTO HIM!!!!!! WHAT THE FUCK!!!! WHERE’S THE M-15 RATING ON THIS MOVIE BC SHE LEGIT!!! HAD HER HANDS!!!! ALL OVER HIM!!!!! Ro and I shouted abt this so much God

- The final fight is RIDICULOUS in terms of HOW MUCH ICHIGO WON’T STAY DOWN and it’s framed SO dramatically lmfao but y’know, it’s shot in a very IR light, I’ll take it

- Ro and I literally were just like IT’S THE POWER OF LOVE BITCH bc he legit just KEPT getting up it was ridiculous

- Also rukia’s final speech to ichigo after she does her whole broken coda ‘don’t touch my brother lowly human’ spiel is…. Beautiful. Fucking excellent

- ‘you’re rude and brash and I’m sick of all humans especially you’ but like. Why is this literally kate’s ’10 things I hate about you’ speech at the end of that movie

- ICHIGO DOESN’T TAKE HIS EYES OFF RUKIA THE WHOLE TIME SHE’S ERASING HIS MEMORIES. DOESN’T EVEN BLINK. THIS IS SOME EP 342 TEAS ALL OVER AGAIN. FUCK. I’M GOING TO!!!! DIE!!!

- Ok so my opinion on how they changed the end: it was necessary to tie things all up in one movie but that doesn’t mean I don’t hate the fact that ichigo ostensibly forgot rukia when in canon HE’S THE ONLY ONE THAT REMEMBERED

- I guess the final scene where he looks at her writing on his textbook and smiles could be a sort of clue that he’s starting to remember. Man idk I think I’d just feel really cheated as a viewer who isn’t coming from a bleach manga/anime background, that everyone just conveniently ‘forgot’. It’s equivalent to an ‘it was all a dream!’ kind of ending imo. It’s a copout. But at the same time I can see why it was necessary :’/

- Also, this exchange with uryuu at the end where they exchange hellos before pulling up short and going ‘wait- do I know you?’ ‘no. but good to know you’ was SO HEARTBREAKING BUT SO GOOD I REALLY DID LOVE THAT

- Whoo ok I’m SURE I’ve forgotten some details but this is already EXCESSIVELY long so. Final FINAL thoughts:

- The quality of the movie is, obviously, not great, but if you were worried about weird chara interpretations and relationships, don’t be. Unless you’re an IH/RRstan or an Orihime fan. This will not be a fun movie for you. But then again, you managed to work through 686 chapters of a manga that clearly wasn’t fun for you and seemed to be ok with it, so maybe this movie won’t bother you either.

- The script is surprisingly solid and has genuinely good, occasionally touching, snarky, sassy dialogue. Good attempts at poeticism and various parallels and callbacks.

- Ichiruki fucking hard carries, and so does isshin. I love uryuu but that may just be my uryuu bias talking.

- Objectively, maybe a 4, 5/10. Ichiruki-wise? 8/10. Obviously this was written in a high straight after the movie and like, maybe after a few days or like a rewatch or w/e my opinions may change. But rn? God I love stanning legends, viva la ichiruki fuck you

[horrendous-haddocks]

To Down a Dragon

~Hiccup Horrendous Haddock character study~

Hi! This is just a little drabble I wrote, kind of like a filler or deleted scene from after Hiccup has won the rights to kill the Monstrous Nightmare. Just his thoughts on his way to the cove I guess? Enjoy?

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“I am so… leaving.”

There was no way he could do it. No way could he kill that nightmare in front of his tribe. He knew that as much as he once would’ve loved to see his father’s proud face smiling down at him, he couldn’t do it now, after everything he had learnt. Three hundred years and he was the first Viking who wouldn’t kill a dragon. Yes, he thought, “wouldn’t”, that implies that I am making a choice here. But “wouldn’t” and “couldn’t” still sounded like the excuses that had plagued him all his life. What a measly fifteen years he’d managed.

Hiccup looked down at his harness, tugged aimlessly at the buckles, and appreciated his own workmanship. A wry smile tugged at his lips, perhaps he would’ve made a good home-repair Viking after all. Not that that mattered now. You can’t say I didn’t warn them, he thought, ducking under a tree branch as he wound his way towards the cove, they all should’ve known I could never be the hero they wanted me to be. He tripped on a small rock. I’d rather be killed than be the killer, he added morbidly.

The forest was growing denser now, trees stretching out their branches towards the sun, a pale yolk that hung in the sky like an egg cracked into a watery blue bowl. It had been a trial to escape the village, stooping under peoples arms as they held them out in congratulatory handshakes, skirting round the arena and practically diving into the shrubbery to escape from a murderous Astrid.

Oh gods, Astrid, he thought, wincing, how did I somehow get her to hate me more than she already did? He was certainly talented at being wonderfully dislikeable. Each of his qualities seemed designed to disappoint his father, talking fishbone indeed.

The path twisted, and the sunlight made a patchwork of the bracken until it gave way to green moss and greener rock. There was the shield, an ambitious climber vine twining along the curve of it, mirroring the swirl of its teal motif almost perfectly. Hiccup clasped both hands around its cool metal edge, hooking his thumb on a silver bolt, and tugged hard. Immovable. With a dramatic sigh, he gave up and ducked under it, taking a second to tug it again as if he could catch it unawares. No luck. With a tilt of his head, he wondered vaguely if it would be there forever. If, in the years to come, anyone else might wander in here looking for trouble and wonder who had been stupid enough to lose their only form of defence on the way in.

Hiccup let his eyes skim the surface of the lake for the last time, a heavy breath parting his lips as he considered all the memories he might’ve made here if he’d just managed to let Astrid take down that gronkle. He had single-handedly, (actually with his two bare hands alone) managed to ruin her life, his father’s life, and his own life in one fell swoop. It was nearly impressive, really. Certainly efficient.

Across on the opposite bank, a sleepy, black dragon pricked its ears up like a rabbit in the heather, before bounding over to greet Hiccup with sloppy, slobbery kisses. He knows that doesn’t wash out.

“Hey bud, you and I are taking a little vacation. Forever.” Sighed Hiccup, resigned to the idea. He mused how life might look, without the familiar backdrop of Berk. He wondered how long it would take to forget his father’s face, the smell of the forge, the sound of Astrid’s voice.

He closed his eyes and scratched under Toothless’ chin, forget them, he prayed, it’s just me and Toothless now.

The emerald-eyed dragon gazed up at him warmly, and Hiccup flashed him a quick smile.

It’s just me and you, bud.

Till the end.